Hiding in Plain Sight
by PetraS
Summary: Since she was little, Balbina Moretti has always watched Ezio Auditore. His buoyant and unbridled spirit always reminded her of what she wished to be. But what if all this time someone has been watching her too? Federico/OC/Ezio.
1. Balbina

_Summary: Since she was little, Balbina Moretti has always watched Ezio Auditore. His buoyant and unbridled spirit always reminded her of what she wished to be. But what if all this time someone has been watching her too?_

* * *

 _Balbina, 1475_

I stared at him again today.

Walking towards the bakery to collect bread early morning, I had never expected to find him there. He was lined up in the queue for bread looking tired and so deprived of life, but handsome nonetheless. All the ladies - married, unmarried or engaged eyed the man who rarely frequented in public places unless it was for a brawl or a race. I looked away sharply when he turned his head in my direction to avoid the bright sunlight.

This was the closest I would get to him. The closest I had ever got.

But I didn't mind.

A long time ago, I would have followed him anywhere in hope that he would notice me against all the odds. Perhaps, he would look at me and not the courtesans or the Florentine beauty - Cristina Vespucci. I realised now that I was a fool. There's nothing special about me that would alert him of my presence. I hailed from a middle class family - no where near as rich as the Auditore or the Vespucci. The only time our families would ever come face to face would be those god-awful balls and even that was not enough for him to notice me. But after many failed attempts, I was content. Content to being there where I could catch a glimpse of him.

Ezio Auditore would never notice me. And that was okay.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Apologies for my unexplained disappearance from this forum. I have been extremely busy with university and work and it was quite hard to make time to sit down and write. I know I shouldn't be starting another fanfiction while I have one that is pending, but this will be a very short fanfiction with very medium length chapters. My primary focus is How Noble Of You and I intend to finish it. :D**

 **This story is set two years before Auditore massacre . . .**

 **Ages : -**

 **Federico - 18**

 **Ezio - 15**

 **Balbina - 15**


	2. Invite

_Padre_ returned home today from Bologna after having finished his business trip. My happiness knew no bounds when I heard him laughing loudly with the merchant outside. I had rushed outside and greeted him, only to be reprimanded for stepping outside in indecent clothes. And then the scolding started . . .

"Balbina, my dear child! You cannot be stepping outside the house dressed like that!" He cried, pointing at my yellow gown that I wore when I had no appointments outside of the house. "If the Auditore scums saw you, they would seduce you like those harpies that follow them around like lapdogs!"

I sighed, taking his heavy duffel bag from his hands and attempting to change the topic. "Good business, _padre_?"

"Ha!" He grinned happily, searching in his duffel bag. " _Bene, bene_! So good that I brought you a present, dear Balbina!" And with that he produced a very heavy journal with yellow parchments and a box of beautiful quills.

I stared in awe, but was weary of the cost of the gifts. _Padre_ was an over spender whenever money came his way and these could not have cost less than -

"Balbina, what are you thinking? Take it, _cara_! I know how much you love to write and I especially got these quills - they are made of swan feathers!"

I smiled earnestly, my heart racing with happiness. I had never ever used swan feathers as quills for they were too expensive, but every time I would walk past the merchants selling them, I would wish for them. Now, I finally had them. I wondered if I had wished for something else in that moment, would it have come true? If I had wished for Ezio . . .

"Balbina, my dear child. You are as absent minded as that old man who falls asleep while playing chess!" And with that, my father placed the items in my hand and walked inside the house. "Oh . . . my dear home. How I have missed you . . . those inns gave me bedbugs!"

I giggled slightly and looked up at the rising sun. Today, I was content - my father was here . . .

* * *

It was around midday when I finally looked up from the new journal that I had been writing in, disturbed by the gentle knocking sound on the door. It was not common for us to receive visitors, but sometimes the old man next door would come by to have a cup of tea with father and discuss politics or complain about the disturbance caused by the Pazzi family. I thought about how lucky I was that I had never encountered the Pazzi dogs for there were stories circulating of their mischief and how many women had had their honour ripped away because they wandered late at night. I shivered, walking towards the door and slightly turning the handle.

Annetta's cheerful face greeted me and soon I found myself wrapped in an embrace that was of warmth and the smell of freshly baked bread. I gently returned the hug whispering a gentle greeting.

"Good to see you, Signora Balbina!" She waved a scroll in her hand in front of my face. "I bring very good news! There is an engagement at the House of Auditore, two evenings from now. The presence of your father and yourself has been highly requested, Signora!"

Engagement . . . at the House of Auditore?

My heart sank to the pits of my stomach. I found it difficult to breathe for a long period and did not notice Annetta leaving after she placed the scroll in my hands. I stood there letting the warm air surround me before stumbling to shut the door.

The tears that burned my eyes finally fell. After the first tear fell, the rest followed like an endless waterfall. I found myself crouching on the floor, my arms wrapping around the pain in my stomach that was followed by the bile that rose up my throat and the despair that clouded my mind. I refused to repeat the words in my mind and instead focused on the softness of the rug and the distant sounds of herald cries.

But the truth sat in front of me within reach and no matter what I did, it would not change. It would never change.

Ezio Auditore was to be engaged to the girl he loved - Cristina Vespucci.


	3. A momentary relief

I didn't know when the tears had subsided or when another evening had arrived. My heart felt cold and empty, but moreover it was disappointed. Disappointed that Ezio had decided so quickly to settle down. In some sick way, I always felt better each day when I would see him with a different woman - there was still hope . . .

Hope for me.

But everything was finished. Ezio was marrying another woman. He was entering into a holy matrimony and for I to think of being with him was a sin so great that even forty days of fasting would not be enough repentance. I had to stop thinking of him.

Shaking my head, I headed into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Life could not stop even if mine had ended.

* * *

"Balbina, dear one, why are you so solemn?" Father asked curiously, looking up from his _Vermicelli_. "I thought the journal and quills were to your liking?"

I shook my head hurriedly. " _Va bene, padre_."

"But you are not, child! Do not take me for a fool!" He accused, pointing at my face with his fork. "Tell me, Balbina, did the Auditore vermin do anything? Harass you? Or pass you any unwanted comments?"

"..." I sighed, pushing my plate away and walking towards the scroll that sat on the shelf where Annetta had left it. I placed it beside my father's plate and sat back down.

" _Padre_ , you . . . won't have to worry anymore. One of the Auditore is to be committed." I found it very hard to allow the words to be spoken and the choking sensation in my throat once again returned. Taking a small sip of the broth helped dull the discomfort, but the pain in my heart was as fresh as this morning.

He beamed as if he had not smiled for years. The contrast of feelings in the atmosphere surprised me. Here I was trying very hard to find reasons to rejoice, but my father needed a very little reason to be happy.

"You have given me the best news of the year, _mia cara figlia_!" His large hand that was clutching at the wooden fork now reached for the scroll and pulled the small red ribbon with an Auditore insignia off. As the scroll unrolled, the buried anguish in my heart did too. The same symptoms returned - my breathing quickened, choking and intense burning behind my eyes that barely held the well of tears that threatened to escape them. My father was still unrolling the scroll and time seemed to have stopped for me. I already knew the outcome so why was I still so petrified?

"I bloody well hope it is that swine Ezio, but I wouldn't complain if the older one is knocked off either. Both are a threat to the -"

He stopped mid sentence, but I did not look up from my broth. My father was a slow reader and he could not read as fast as I did, but we were still a family with some scholars so reading had never been an issue. But if I had known that one day my own father would read me such dreadful news, I wished we were a household of illiterates and deaf.

" _Mio Dio_! Balbina, do you have no shame to jest with your old _padre_!" He threw the scroll in the middle of the wooden space between us. I did not look down at it instead choosing to stare at his fuming face. "Or is this your subtle way of saying that the female Auditore has also been hitting on you? Bah, I can't expect nothing less from the scums! But I did not expect you to lie to me, Balbina! Be truthful for once - has the female Auditore ever dropped her gaze down from your face?"

I did not speak. I could not speak. Father was implying that Claudia . . .?

"You say it is an Auditore, Balbina! But the one to be wed is Claudia, the girl. What difference will that make to me? Unless . . ." He cast me a suspicious eye once again and I quickly understood the meaning of his words. Relief shook me from inside so much so that I began to babble mindlessly.

"No, _padre_! Claudia . . . The young Auditore _signora_ has never shown an interest in me! Or any female . . . for that instance." I smiled while shaking my head to clear the tears. "I did not know . . . that Claudia Auditore is to be engaged."

He grumbled sadly. " _Si, si_ , indeed what a dull news that is. But we have no business to be involved with these patricians!"

The grin was slapped off my face with his sudden objection. " _Padre_ , we have been . . . specially requested. Their maid, Annetta . . . she was here to cordially invite us to the engagement."

"A poor attempt to woo you!" He spluttered, picking up his fork and stabbing it on a pasta. "Bah, cordially invite us! If our presence mattered so much, why did Giovanni or the lady herself not come personally to invite us?"

He stood up and walked to my side of the table, his hands quivering with anger. "Balbina, my innocent _figlia_. One of the Auditore has spotted you in the market and now they seek to acquire you. They use the help of their feeble maids behind the backs of their parents! Who would want to be associated with the likes of us? Especially fat patricians like the Auditore!"

Tears broke out in my eyes and now they flowed freely. My father had set my heart and dreams on fire. The battle that I thought I was fighting with other women for Ezio's love had been lost at home. I was lost before the battle had even started.

He stroked my brown hair, before moving away. "Balbina. Your _madre_ was so enamoured with a nobleman that she abandoned everything. She abandoned our home. Our marriage. Me. You." His hands covered his haggard face wrinkled with suppressed grief and extreme fatigue. "I saw it - it happened in front of my very eyes. The love she had for a nobleman destroyed her. Deteriorated her till she was nothing, but a gravestone set on the ground."

I pulled a handkerchief over my eyes and wept. _Madre_ had died when I was very little, but her betrayal still broke me to this day. How could a mother do that? Did her soul not tremble when she laid with a man outside of her holy matrimony? Did her heart not break when she saw her child crying out for her? The sense of abandonment was compelling - it was the most overwhelming of my feelings - stronger than the love I had for Ezio. I could not forget - I could not forgive and I could not find it within myself to visit _madre_. She was resting at peace while Father and I were tortured and harrowed by her memory everyday.

"Balbina, _cara._ I wish nothing, but the best for you. I want you to lead a happy and stable life. And that is why you must stay away from the Auditore."

His words hung with finality. I removed the handkerchief from my face to see him peering at me from the doorway, his brown eyes shining with infinite misery, but also with a resolute promise.

And then he whispered quietly.

" _Sei tutto per me._ "

* * *

 ** _Sei tutto per me_ \- You are everything to me. **

**I don't speak Italian and this was taken from a website. If it is inappropriate to use in this context, I apologise. Once again, thank you all for reading. Have a great day!**


	4. The Auditore Famiglia

**For some chapters of this story, the perspective will be third person or from Balbina's viewpoint. Balbina's viewpoints are actually her own diary entries.**

* * *

 _Auditore Palazzo, 1475_

Maria Auditore looked up from her journal entry that one late afternoon. As the years had passed, the Auditore palazzo had grown quieter with the boys having business outside the house and Claudia too now that her engagement was the next day. Her youngest son, however, was always around and that provided her a small comfort - Petruccio enjoyed the quiet and peace, but she knew that he would often sneak out. She turned a blind eye over it.

As a matter of fact, she felt a sense of discontent from her eldest son, Federico. The boy was intelligent and had matured over the years so she and Giovanni had not found him the cause of their worry more than Ezio, but today she felt distressed over her first born.

Ezio was somewhat a reflection of Federico, but he still lacked the depth that his brother possessed. Federico would often partake in many of the mischievous activities that Ezio always found himself into, but he would never endorse these activities. Her son had grown out of boyhood and finally become a man. And with that came many secrets of the heart that he had stopped sharing with his mother or father. Federico had become a man, but had also become distant.

A shadow passed over her shoulder blocking the afternoon sun and the only indication that someone stood behind her. She grinned and turned to the face the boy who had occupied her thoughts for a while now.

" _Buon pomeriggio,_ Federico." She greeted, standing up and meeting him halfway in a small hug. She leaned back to see her son looking happy, with a small twinkle of mischief that she hadn't seen in a few years now. "Tell me, what is on your mind, _caro figlio_."

He let out a deep chuckle. " _Madre_ , you are far too suspicious. I only rejoice in my sister's happiness. She has grown up to be a fine lady."

Maria narrowed her eyes. "And what is your opinion about her to be betrothed?"

He smirked, shrugging his shoulders. "Claudia has poor taste, _Madre_. But I approve. For now." He added ominously, the smile no longer adorning his young face and instead, a dark sheen that was set in his brown eyes that promised doom if anything or anyone should trouble his family.

" _Cos'hai detto_?" Claudia cried, entering the palazzo, Annetta hurrying behind her with a tower of gowns clutched in her hands, while another maid carried chests most likely containing jewellery. "I heard you, Federico! You said I have poor taste!"

He turned away from his mother and held his hands up in defeat. "I did say that, _cara sorella._ But take no offence at it - not everyone can be as charming as I-"

Claudia grabbed a tomato and sent it flying at his head, but he was a dexterous boy who had spent all his teenage years escaping guards and angry fathers. He easily dodged the flying fruit and watched it splatter on the brick wall next to his mother's beautiful wallflowers.

" _Basta_!" Maria bellowed, her usual calm demeanour shattered when her beautiful flowers were at risk. She glared at both her children who looked slightly sheepish and headed to the kitchen to fetch her small cleaning supplies. No doubt the tomato seeds must have sprayed into her plants and the last thing she needed was an ugly hybrid plant of wallflower and tomatoes.

"See what you did, Claudia." She heard Federico say. "You made _Madre_ angry."

"Your fault, you _idiota_! Next time, I need an opinion on Duccio I will ask Petruccio or Ezio!" Claudia's shrill voice reached her eyes. "So keep your dumb opinions to yourself!"

Maria exhaled loudly and touched her wedding ring. Why did none of her children take any traits from her?

* * *

Dinner was always a lively affair at the Auditore palazzo. Ezio and Claudia would dominate the conversations, while Petruccio and Federico would act as the peacemakers should a fight break out between the two middle siblings. Maria would try always try to direct the arguments to a stalemate and Giovanni would most likely be . . . missing.

Today, however, it was Claudia who had started the discussion about her engagement which was due to take place the following evening. She tittered happily and would break out in squabbles with Ezio or Federico if they would try to interrupt her. Petruccio would say little, but when evoked by Claudia for his opinion, he would smile and say that Duccio was most likely a nice man since Claudia had chosen him. That would satisfy her and she would go quiet for a little while before starting a new topic related to her engagement.

This time, her gaze landed on Annetta who stood near the corner with another maid ready to attend to their needs.

"Annetta, did you manage to deliver all of the invites?" Claudia asked, elbowing Ezio as he reached over to take the last bit of the cream custard tart. He glared as she reached over to swipe it, but her hand met air. Both she and Ezio were startled to see Federico smirking as he placed the tart in his younger brother's plate. Petruccio beamed at him happily and the middle siblings conceded.

Annetta hurriedly stepped forward. "Yes, my lady. All the invites were delivered in the rich and middle districts."

Maria nodded, pleased. " _Molto bene_ , Annetta. Surely it must not have been an easy task considering my sons have garnered quite a reputation for themselves." She eyed both Federico and Ezio meaningfully.

Ezio rolled his eyes, uncaring and sipped his wine. Federico, on the other hand seemed very preoccupied with this new information.

Annetta sighed, tired and weary, but also sympathetic. "No, my lady. Almost everyone was rejoiced by the news of the younger lady's upcoming engagement. We are sure to have many guests who will share in her happiness."

"Almost?" Claudia and Federico inquired at the same time, their eyes narrowed towards the hesitant maid. She blushed in embarrassment and fiddled with her apron unsure if it would be wise to reveal such information to the family. She did not want to be the reason of families feuding.

"Annetta, you will speak - truthfully." Claudia hissed, placing her fists on the table as a warning. Maria eyed her daughter with reprimand, but was surprised to see her eldest son tense and no longer jovial. Instead, he seemed slightly agitated and fiddled with the Auditore ring on his index finger while keeping an interested eye on the frantic maid.

"I - I - I . . ." Annetta took a long breath. "It was Balbina Moretti! She seemed startled to see me and looked petrified when I said that her presence was highly requested by yourselves for the engagement!"

Claudia leaned back, disinterested. "Who?"

Maria nodded in understanding. "The Moretti _famiglia_ of the middle district. _Si_ , _si_ the merchant who travels a lot. Respectable man, but very hotheaded."

The other female Auditore harrumphed. "Well, anyhow, it matters little if they do not come."

"Well, I could go invite her personally if you wish, dear sister. If you know what I mean . . ." Ezio leered, rejoining the conversation. The indication of his words hung clearly in the room, but Claudia was already conversing with her mother in another discussion about the gown that still hadn't arrived from the tailor's. Her mother soothed her worries gently, but as she cast a look around the table, she found Federico moving to stand.

But not without passing the most hateful glare at his teenage sibling. It was a gaze so dark as if he had witnessed something abhorrent that his hate knew no bounds and freely escaped. The look startled Maria and she turned to see if Ezio had caught it, but the boy sat unaware in a discussion with Petruccio about feathers.

Federico was gone before she could catch another glimpse of him.

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading. A few chapters will continue in the same format before I switch back to Balbina. Have a good day.**


	5. Lost and Found

_1475_

Balbina stared outside the window on the evening of Claudia Auditore's engagement. The party seemed to be in full swing with fireworks shooting in the sky repeatedly and occasional joyful screams that reverberated throughout Firenze and into her small district. Everyone was celebrating for Signorina Claudia Auditore and she longed to see the celebration and let some of the happiness dull the loneliness in her heart. _Padre_ had disappeared again and had left a small, poorly written note telling her to lock every door and window in the house till his return. It still never made sense if Padre truly expected for her to stay indoors while he was gone for weeks, but of course she would venture out for groceries and to write in her beloved notebook.

A loud firework exploded far off in the distance, but Balbina was disappointed when the window provided no sight of the beauty. Rushing up the stairs to the roof, she circled slowly on her feet trying to locate the enigma. Finally, far off in the distance, she watched the tiny Firenze guards setting some off. She had never seen such beauties and what a shame it was that she could not see them from close.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" A deep voice behind her spoke as she simultaneously let out a petrified scream. Scrambling towards the door, she tripped on her pink nightdress and fell on the uneven sharp surface. Pain seared in her palms and it was only then that she stopped and allowed a few tears to fall. Tears of pain and fear.

In the darkness, a shape drifted towards her and she let out another horrified scream. "G-go away! Leave . . . leave me alone! _Per favore_!"

"Balbina, _ti prego, calmati_!" She paused at the sound, sniffling pathetically. Finally, a firework exploded overhead and shone on the intruder's face. Auditore - the older one . . . Federico? He clutched at the hem of her dress that had caught on a small lantern and let it slip through his fingers, just as she jumped to her feet and created a decent distance between them. "Forgive me, I . . . I did not mean to startle." He rubbed his neck, sheepishly, but an impish grin remained on his face.

"No, no!" She waved her hands in front of her and oddly his eyes narrowed in on her palms. "Signore Auditore, please do not apologise. I am . . . I am quick to startle. My father is not home so I-" She bit her tongue as her father's voice reprimanded her in her head. _Stupido! Never tell a stranger you are alone in the house! Especially an Auditore!_

He did not seemed to have noticed her slip up, instead stepping closer and reaching for her outstretched palms. "Your palms bleed, Signorina Balbina." And with that, he was encasing her palms with a silky handkerchief - probably something that was worth more than her. The red seal of Auditore shone from the corner of the handkerchief and she couldn't help, but blush slightly.

She gasped horrified. "I . . . I dirtied it! It is unnecessary, Signore, truly!"

He chuckled, a voice that sounded too close to a certain someone. "It is my handkerchief that is blessed to be so close to a person such as yourself, Signorina." And then he pulled another out pressing it to her cheek, but avoiding any skin to skin contact. When she looked on confused, her eyes large like a baby's, he smiled. "For the tears."

The red seal of Auditore shone from the corner of the handkerchief and she couldn't help, but blush slightly. This was Ezio's family - Ezio, the boy she admired. But the boy - no man, in front of her was not Ezio, but a reflection of him.

She ducked her face into her neck and simply held the precious handkerchief in her hand. So far, she had wasted two of the three he had bestowed upon her and she was not sure if her father could handle any more expense. She prayed he would not pull any more out from his breeches and once again stepped back when she realised the closeness between her person and his. His eyes twinkled with amusement, but she barely noticed as she fidgeted around looking for an apology.

"Signore Auditore . . . I owe you an apology too. I . . . I did not mean to insult your famiglia by declining the invitation for the lady's engagement. Truly, I am overjoyed-!"

"What stopped you from attending?" He interrupted, taking a seat on the small railing that overlooked the grocery store. She prayed to the Lord above that no one should see him on her roof. She could not stand it if people were to talk ill of them - she could not stand it if Ezio were to misunderstand. Not that it should matter to him anyway, she thought disappointed.

"Si . . . it is my ailing health. It would certainly be an eyesore if a guest was coughing everywhere on such an auspicious occasion." At this, she faked a cough, bringing a handkerchief wrapped fist to her mouth. And then she realised that she had coughed all over his handkerchief. He must be truly disgusted, but when she met eyes with him, he only stared at her blankly with an ominous shine in his amber eyes. She did not like it.

Leaning forward from the railing, he now stood at his full height. "Well, it is good that I am here then, Signorina Moretti! Our personal dottore has the best medicines for a troubling, persistent cough. Tomorrow, I shall bring it to you!"

"No, no! Signore Auditore, truly, there is no need." An image of Federico turning up at her door frightened her more than anything. Her father would have her head and no doubt he would know it from those nosy neighbours that always kept a watchful eye over her. Oh, how she wished she hadn't come out on the rooftop now. Her one innocent lie had turned against her.

"Oh, but there is! Also, is this yours?" He asked, holding up a parchment from her journal that she had lost a month ago. She had been writing one day by the Arno river and the parchment had flew out of her hands as she had secretly watched the amber eyed boy charm a free meal out of a young girl. By the time, she had caught up with it, it laid near the feet of the guards and she had no more courage to run after it. But now standing before the man who held it in his hand, she trembled with fear. What if this page contained her most in depth feelings for Ezio? Everything would be finished!

"NO!" She denied, frantically, her brown hair flying around her face. She then bowed quickly and wished him a goodnight, before tearing open the rooftop door and rushing back down inside. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she did not stop till she was under the covers of her bed. It was only then she allowed herself to breathe and then to cry knowing that her secret might be dangerously at risk. Turbulent thoughts plagued her mind and soon she drifted off into a vortex of terrifying nightmares.

 _"How could you even think my brother would like you?"_ _Dream Federico laughed, holding his stomach while his brother cringed in the background._

 _"I am disgusted! Who are you anyway?" Ezio asked cruelly, raking his eyes up and down her body. He turned away uninterested. "Plain. Boring. Nothing like Cristina, of course."_

 _Balbina cried and ran home to find her red-faced father glaring at her. "I TOLD YOU DIDN'T I? AUDITORES ARE NOTHING, BUT BAD NEWS! NOW EVERYONE WILL LAUGH AT YOU!"_

 _And with that the whole town had crowded around her and openly laughed at her. "Look! Look! That's the girl who got rejected by Ezio Auditore! How could she think she even had a chance?"_

The next morning was miserable for Balbina. She stayed in bed, tears escaping her swollen eyes and the afternoon sun peeking in from the window and causing them to ache further. She did not want to face the world anymore. Not her father, not Ezio, not anyone!

Still, she got up and prepared herself for the remaining day. And then finally, she realised she had to go back to the rooftop to pull off the dried clothes that had hung there from yesterday. The idea of Federico being on the rooftop was ridiculous - he was probably in his mansion laughing with his brother about plain Balbina from the middle district who was crushing on his brother. She prayed for a miracle then as she stepped on to the rooftop, the heat of the sun warming her cold, frightened heart slightly.

Picking the clothes off the line, she ignored the small corner where she had interacted with the older Auditore last night. And she nearly would have missed it, had it not been for the shiny bottle that was placed atop of the brown parchment. That accursed parchment! Looking around the rooftop wearily, she approached it with nervous steps and then finally lifted the bottle. It was a cough remedy - the one Federico had promised to bring her. So he had come back?

Shaking her head, she read the parchment that she had lost and blushed at her words. He had read this!

Her own roughly penned words read: _Ti amero per sempre, Ezio._ And then under them was a small cursive handwriting - beautiful handwriting. _Get better soon, Balbina._

* * *

 _Author's Note: Long time since I updated this and I am sorry to those who still follow this fanfiction for the very late update._

 _Italian words and meanings_

 _Per favore - Please_

 _Ti prego, calmati - Please, calm down_

 _Stupido - you fool_

 _famiglia - family_

 _Si - yes_

 _dottore - doctor_

 _Ti amero per sempre - I will love you forever_


	6. Matters of Love

_1475, Florence_

It was a lively affair at the Auditore mansion that following late morning. Claudia, despite having had an eventful night was still in high spirits. Her two brothers, however did not particularly share her enthusiasm. She glared when Ezio once again yawned and Federico's eyes glazed over as he stared straight at her. The nerve of these two!

"Honestly, you two are the worst brothers I have ever had!" She commented, stabbing her fork into the cherries from the fruit platter. She was glad that mother was not here or she would've received an earful on the etiquette of a lady. Not that Duccio cared - he was content with her as he should be.

Ezio sat up, bored. "How would you know, sorellina? You've only ever had us for brothers." His eyes shone with self-confidence and Claudia had a strong urge to meet her fist with his jaw.

"Not only just you two! Petruccio! He _always_ listens to me and gives me advice _and_ never gives me the same answers each time!"

Federico finally grinned. "Maybe you should talk about something else then." Ezio guffawed at this when Claudia's face fell - a clear sign that she had lost the argument. Maybe now they could eat breakfast in peace. But their younger sister clearly wasn't finished when she began to fidget uncomfortably, a red blush on her normally pale cheeks.

"It's . . . it's just that I . . . I really, really, _really_ like Duccio." She sighed, her two small index fingers nervously poking each other under the table. Her brothers always brought the most confident demon out of her, but in truth she was just like any other girl. She liked a boy who every girl liked, but she had been lucky. Duccio was hers and she was his, but she still didn't know what it took for a girl to keep her man _forever_.

Ezio giggled insensitively. "Out of all the men in Firenze, you just had to settle for the less! Love truly has no boundaries!"

Claudia's face reddened with anger and Federico sighed. It was quite common for Ezio to be dense - he didn't see past the sex and the outer beauty of a female. But that small confession from Claudia had been a rare moment of truth - she had let her guard down only to be laughed at.

"Shut up, _testa di cazzo_!"

"Ezio." Federico warned when the boy opened his mouth to spew another insult towards Duccio. "Duccio is family now. He is the man Claudia has chosen and you _will_ respect that." The truth was that he didn't have a much favourable view of Duccio himself, yet he understood that Claudia was headstrong - she would never back down from something she desired till she obtained it. She had the Auditore spirit - much like her father and mother. And so did he. But Ezio . . .

"Spare me! Claudia, you will soon be bored of him."

She gasped, outraged by the notion of his words. "I will _never_ give up on true love! Duccio is my true love!"

Both brothers inwardly rolled their eyes. Federico wasn't sure that Claudia even understood the meaning of love - she was far too young and had barely seen fourteen winters outside of the Auditore mansion - outside of Firenze. None of them understood love for it had become something like a dream. Their Father's absence in their life didn't help either although they never doubted his love for their mother or themselves. But sometimes love just wasn't enough and Federico had begun to understand that.

"Claudia . . . what is it that you like about Duccio?" He asked, gently treading on dangerous waters and almost expecting her to be offended, but her dark green eyes brightened with delight.

"Oh, I am so glad you asked, _fratellone_! Oh, the right question would be what do I _not_ like about him? He is perfect! He is wonderful - oh, Federico! He says the most wonderful things. I never knew this was what it meant to be in love! I truly truly _love_ him!" Ezio cringed in disgust at her barely poetic confession and stuffed his mouth with ham to negate the terrible taste Claudia's words left in his mouth. Federico, on the other hand, did not comment on her earlier confession in which she admitted to only liking him.

She turned to him then, her eyes hopeful and focused. "Federico, you have seen eighteen springs and will soon see your nineteenth. Tell me, have you ever been in love?"

His younger brother choked, his amber eyes brimming with tears as he fought to push the ham out of his windpipe. Federico promptly leaned over and aimed an accurate punch on his back effectively ending his misery. And then Ezio burst out laughing, drool escaping the corner of his mouth and landing on his breakfast.

"Dio Mio! I have never heard something more funnier! Federico! In love! WHAT?! HA!" Claudia looked disgusted at her salivating brother before facing him curiously.

"I have."

Silence encompassed the large dining hall till they could hear the ticking of the grandfather clock and Annetta yelling at the pigeons to go away. Outside, a minstrel sang with a terribly out of tune lute about the miseries of the poor man. Somewhere in the middle district, a girl sat up in her bed having had a miserable night after meeting the eldest Auditore. Outside a brown eagle took off with a high pitched chirp startling the many pigeons that sat innocently on the railings.

* * *

Duccio de Luca found himself yawning as he briskly walked past the sunset by the Arno River. Last night had been rather pointless and extremely tiring - Claudia was a handful, but he would soon have her. Once he had her, their marriage would be off and he could return to his free lifestyle where her Auditore bodyguards weren't keeping a vigilant eye on him. If she wasn't so beautiful, he would have never promised her anything, but he just needed to charm his way into her bed now. He was so close.

Stopping by to admire the afternoon sunlight being reflected in the river, Duccio caught sight of a small figure sitting by the edge of the river. Stepping closer he felt his breath catch when he saw it was a girl. A girl he had never seen before. Her subtle beauty was ever so prevalent in the shadows - her brown eyelashes upturned as she stared in the distance, a quill pressed to her red cheek. Her hair flew behind her with the gentle breeze catching the sunlight occasionally. Then she began to scribble hurriedly in her brown journal as if an idea had come from the heavens, a smile gracing her full pink lips. He knew then that he wanted her. More than Claudia or any other girl.

And as he stepped forward to approach, a heavy hand fell on his shoulder grounding him further into the muddy path. Annoyance surged in his system - he hadn't been able to get a single second of peace before people would gather around him from every side congratulating him for his engagement. But his father had warned him that he had to play his part so he sighed and plastered a smile on his face and met the cold, hazel eyes of his future brother-in-law. Federico.

"Duccio."

"Ah, ah, ah! Mio cognato, what a pleasant surprise!" He couldn't stop the tightening of his jaw or the slight twitch of the eye when Federico continued to stare at him with narrowed eyes. He couldn't wait to break this engagement and then spit in their faces.

"That's not Claudia I see sitting there, Duccio."

The man in question sweated a little. "Si, si! I was surprised to see a new face in our small city-!"

"She's not a new face." Federico responded coldly. His eyes flickered behind him to the girl who was oblivious to their discussion and then faced his brother-in-law again.

Duccio allowed a sly smile to graze his lips. "I see you are acquainted then, brother. She didn't seem the type, but in the end no girl can resist your charms into leading her to bed-!"

"Shut. Up." Duccio stared at him surprised when he was shoved backwards roughly by him. Had he somehow antagonised him?

A gasp sounded behind them and then an apple hit Federico square in the nose. Duccio felt a laugh bubble inside him as he watched Federico groan in pain, a hand clutched to his bloodied feature. An arm linked with his then and he internally sighed with relief and irritation. Claudia was soft in all the right places, but her mouth . . .

"Testa di minchia!" Claudia screamed, her strong hand crushing his own. He winced and prayed she wasn't wild in bed. He liked them submissive and he had put high stakes for Claudia. His own self, in fact. "I told you, Federico to leave my darling alone! Why are you such a bastardo!"

Ezio helped his older brother up, an insincere apology laced in his throaty laugh. "Scusa, older brother. I tried to stop her, but she has a perfetto aim!"

Duccio had just enough of the family drama. "What are you two doing here?"

His fianceé leaned into him, her deep green eyes big with admiration and a bright blush prominent on her pale cheeks. "We . . . we were . . . _lookingforyou_! No, no. What I meant was that we were SHOPPING!" She screamed the last word in his ear and he was unable to hide the unpleasant cringe that appeared on his face. Ezio narrowed his eyes at him then. Great, another bodyguard to deal with as if the first one wasn't enough.

"Are . . . are . . . are you okay?" A melodious voice interrupted anything anyone was about to say. Four pairs of eyes of brown, green and blue turned to face her and Balbina found herself going pale. She traced her eyes worriedly over the blood that seeped from Federico's fingers to Claudia's hateful glare. And then the curious look from the man who was supposedly Claudia's fiance to Ezio's sharp brown eyes! Ezio. He was here . . . two steps away from her - she had never stood so close to him. Did he know? Had Federico told him? Her heart sunk with shame and she made two steps away from the group ready to bolt.

Until Federico stepped forward, a sincere smile on his lips while blood dripped from his angular nose. "Signorina Moretti. I hope the cough medicine provided you well."

"Si . . ." she whispered, her hand tucking her journal under her arm as she fished in her small satchel. She retrieved the three handkerchiefs he had previously bestowed upon her and pressed it into his hand carefully. "F-for your nose, Signore Auditore."

He smiled then noting the way her eyes flickered behind him occasionally. Ezio.

A cough interrupted their almost non-existent conversation. "Did you just say - MORETTI?" Claudia almost spat the words as if they were acidic to her tongue.

The girl in question cowered, her arms hugging her journal to her chest as the younger woman marched determinedly to her person. Had she offended the young lady somehow? Balbina almost wanted to slap her head to remember all the occasions that she had ever met the lady, but could only think one in which they had greeted each other briefly. That had been years ago.

"So it was you - the high and mighty, Benigna Moretti-!"

"Balbina." Federico cut in with a hiss.

"Whatever! How dare you reject the invitation for _my_ engagement ceremony? We, the Auditore's invited you - a girl from the _middle_ district and you had the gall to turn us down. OUTRAGEOUS!" To display her anger further, she threw her hands up in the air and all three men in the vicinity cringed with displeasure. Claudia had a monstrous temper and while it was restrained to the confines of the Auditore mansion, everyone in Firenze were cautious to not cross paths with the young lady on a bad day. Today it seemed, Balbina Moretti was not so lucky.

"I . . . I . . . am truly . . . truly . . . very, very, very sorry." Her voice came out like a purr - so soft and gentle that Federico felt goosebumps on his back. A sudden urge to just sit by her side all day listening to her talk engulfed him then, but Claudia awoke him from his hypnotised state of mind.

"If you are truly sorry then you will run some chores for me! I will then determine your sincerity through your actions!"

"Um . . ." The girl looked hopelessly confused, her eyes turning to Federico for help, but he met her gaze with a glazed look of his own. Perhaps his sister had confused him too?

"I will tell you when you present yourself tomorrow at the Auditore mansion 3 hours after sunrise! Do not be late, Belina _Moretti._ "

"Balbina." Federico and she both whispered as Claudia strutted off with her beau arm in arm, her pink long dress trailing in the dirt behind her and accumulating on the edges.

"Dio Mio! Finally she is gone - I could take no more of that." Ezio draped himself over his brother's shoulders and watched him startle out of his long stare at the girl. The girl - he had never seen her before and she was so slight and _miss-_ able that he had not even felt her creep up behind him. His gift always allowed him to be aware of his surroundings more than others, but only Federico and Father had ever surprised him before. She shifted again, her small fingers trembling around her journal as he eyed her up and down. Her feet slowly dragged on the muddy shore, her face paling and inflaming every new second. Ezio wondered if she was a thief then - scuttling and nervous just like the group he would see on rooftops.

Her eyes flickered up once and he caught the fear in them. Yes, definitely a thief. She whispered a barely audible goodbye and then scurried out of sight leaving behind a small breeze of unsaid words. He felt his brother tense under him then and a small wistful sigh escape him and it was only then did Ezio piece together the puzzle. His brother had voiced in the morning that he had been in love before. And just now in the evening, his brother had _shown_ that he was still in love. His brother - Federico Auditore was in love with a middle-class thief girl. He couldn't wait to tell _Madre_.

* * *

 _1475,_

 _Sitting by this river, I think of you often. I think of a world in which you and I are the focal points - where your existence is meaningless without mine and mine without yours. Where your breaths give me life and mine give you yours._

 _"The minute I heard my first love story,'_

 _I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was._

 _Lovers don't finally meet somewhere._

 _They're in each other all along."*_

 _Except you are not my lover, but I am yours forever._

 _Balbina Moretti_

* * *

Testa di cazzo - dickhead

Dio Mio - My God

Fratellone - Older brother

Mio cognato - My brother-in-law

Si - Yes

Sorellina - Little sister

Testa di minchia - dickhead

Bastardo - Bastard

Scusa - Sorry

Perfetto - Perfect

Madre - mother

*Poetry is not mine, belongs to the lovely poet Rumi. :)


	7. Dream

_1475, Florence_

The Auditore mansion was located in the upper district of Florence - a place Balbina would only visit on some mornings when she longed for the warm brioche bread. She had never tasted something so delicious before and would always visit near the end of the month when she had enough pocket money for the bread. It was in this small queue that she had first laid eyes on the scandalous Ezio Auditore.

Her first impression on Ezio wasn't something she quite remembered for it wasn't significant. But then he had flirted his way from the middle of the queue all the way to the front and she had found herself impressed. This small feat still wasn't enough to make her fall in love with him, but she dared not lie that she had began to notice him.

He was popular among the youth - the girls loved him, the boys wanted to be friends with him. At the same time, he was abhorred by the senior citizens of Florence for simply being who he was. Ezio Auditore did not bend to customs and rules and maybe this was what had earned him the hatred of the wise men of Florence. And this very same quality had earned him her affections.

But today even the luscious smell of the brioche bread could not calm her mind. She had left her journal in her drawer, but was missing its presence more than she had known she would. The book had become her protector - she could walk out of any unpleasant situation only by opening her journal or hugging it to her chest. But the risks were already too high - Federico had some notion about the inner secrets of her mind, but it was evident to her that he had not disclosed the truth to his brother.

She was immensely grateful, but also terribly embarrassed. It was difficult to meet eyes with him yesterday, but she had been more concerned for his bloodied feature than her own embarrassment. Today, however, she wasn't sure how she was going to avoid Ezio and his brother who knew her deep, dark secret.

"Buongiorno Signorina Balbina!" A pleasant, familiar voice called out to her and she smiled upon seeing the woman who often crossed paths with her in the middle district. Annetta worked for the Auditores, but still spent much of her free time in the middle district with her older sister, Paola.

Balbina was glad that she wasn't completely alone in this foreign place. "Buongiorno . . . Signorina Annetta." She whispered, swiping a hand across her dress subconsciously. She was dressed worse than Annetta and her confidence deflated with lightening speed. It was her best dress, but it clearly was nothing next to even the servants of the Auditore.

"Whatever is wrong, Signorina Balbina?" The older girl asked, pressing her hand to her arm. "You look so concerned. Pray tell, what is wrong and what are you doing here at the mansion?"

Balbina fidgeted, forcing a smile on her face. "I - I was called by . . . Signorina Auditore."

When surprise flashed across Annetta's face, Balbina knew she should not have come. Why would someone like Claudia Auditore remember meeting someone as forgettable as her? It only took Annetta to confirm her suspicions were very much true. "That is very strange, Signorina. Usually if the young lady has an appointment, she is sure to tell me. Maybe she forgot? I shall go and ask her-!"

"No, no!" Her hands waved in between them as if to shake away any formalities. "I . . . I think I was mistaken, Signorina Annetta. I shall . . . be off now. Good day!" A quick courtesy and Balbina had dashed down the marble porch, tripping only once before she disappeared around the corner. She heard Annetta's worried chirps behind her, but it mattered little to her at this point.

She didn't know what was more embarrassing - the fact that she had been dressed down or that Claudia Auditore had not even remembered that she had summoned her here today. Annetta probably thought she was like one of those girls trying to earn the favour of the Auditore by turning up to the mansion and lying about having an appointment. God knows, she didn't even want to be here in the first place.

"Buongiorno!" A male voice far in the distance cried behind her. She barely registered it - her mind taking her to the depths of unpleasant situations. She wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole before she crossed path with another Auditore. They had been bad news and she had been wise to keep her distance, but then Federico had landed on her rooftop out of all the rooftops in Florence. And then she had been embroiled into the lives of these people who could not even care to remember her name at most times.

"Signorina Bellissa! Bellissa Morelli!" The voice screamed in her ear before she was seized by the arm and forced to turn. Her brain recognised the owner of the voice much later than her eyes had and she could not believe who stood before her. The man who she had spent hours penning down in her journal - her poetry, her scenarios and even some of her poor drawings were all inspired by the one who smiled at her.

She noticed things she had never picked up on from far. His eye colour was not simply a hazel, but a mix of green and gold depending on the way they caught the light. Nothing was ever simple with this man - not even something as simple as a colour. His teeth were angular, his jaw line sharp than the first time she had set eyes on him. His right cheek darkened with a dimple, while on the left, a dimple touched near the corner of his mouth. His hair was a dark brown with a tint of red edges near the ends. She wondered if someone in his family had been a ginger and he had inherited the beautiful colour of red streaks in between his natural brown.

"Bu-on-gior-no, Bellissa!" He waved in front of her face, his hand still on her arm. "Where did you go, tesoro? Come back to me."

And then her mind finally enlightened as if she just awakened from a dream. Ezio Auditore stood before her - his hand on her arm, his face a few inches from her own and he had just said something that she had only ever dreamt of hearing from him. _Sweetheart. Come back to me._ Her eyes glazed over again as if she had entered another realm of endless possibilities.

Ezio had never seen someone as perplexing as this girl. Yesterday was the first time he had seen her and she was just so . . . _different._ Her hair was slightly longer than shoulder length and of a muddy brown colour. Not Federico's usual preference of blonde. Her eyes were also brown, almost black, but they were somewhat noticeable if one was to look long enough at her. Again, Federico usually went for blue eyed women. And her figure - so slight and thin, no curves or anything to get one excited. So just what was it about her that made Federico fall in love with an inconspicuous girl?

His patience ran thin when she did not respond to his greeting. "Hell-OO?" He allowed himself to shake the girl roughly although he had never done so before with a woman. Yes, he was a flirt, but he wasn't a violent man yet this girl was not only unnoticeable, but also plain rude. She had brought the worst of him out.

"A-a-a-a-re y-you . . . t-talk-ing to . . . me?" She whispered, her fingers poking together in a childlike manner. He frowned at the fidgeting and wondered if she was even around the age for Federico to be courting her. Not only that, he had now begun to doubt his own theory that this girl was a thief. No thief was ever this fidgety although they certainly were skittish just like her.

"Who else, Bellissa?" He leaned against the wall, a yawn escaping him at the pace of the conversation.

"Bal...bina." She whispered, ever so slightly.

"What?" Ezio found himself strangely soothed by her catlike sound. At this rate, he was going to fall asleep in this market and then Padre would have a fit that he embarrassed the Auditores. Not that he cared much.

"M-m-y name . . . is . . . Bal-bina."

Oh. All this time he had been calling her Bellissa and no wonder she had been confused. Ezio felt so uncool and never before had a girl made him struggle to speak the next words. He already disliked her.

Chuckling hesitantly, he countered the reply. "W-well. You are so . . . _lovely_ and-and fair, so forgive me, signorina if I confused you for a Bellissa." His heart hammered in his chest as she met eyes with him, her face blank at his compliment before she looked down again. He had been unable to catch an expression in her eyes and now they were concealed by her fringe. Now, he almost wished he hadn't approached her when he had seen her scuttling away from the entrance of the mansion from his window. But this was the _ragazza_ that his brother was evidently smitten with and there was no way he would give up. Not even if this girl was the most unpleasant creature he had ever met.

"Well, where were you off to then, BAL-beena?" He grinned as he deliberately exaggerated her name. He had hoped for a reaction from her, but she still had her head lowered and her fingers poking each other.

"Home." She whispered after a time that felt like an hour. Boring, he thought almost wanting to call it quits and walk away from this, but then he remembered Claudia. His sister had demanded for this mouse to come three hours after sunrise and so no wonder he had seen her outside the mansion dressed looking like that. He wondered if Annetta had recounted some of Claudia's rage moments to her and had sent her running. The image of her tripping on a step as she had run from the entrance came to his mind and he couldn't help, but giggle slightly.

She s _till_ didn't look up, even as his arm went around her tiny shoulders and she stiffened. Dio Mio, he prayed she wasn't a church going girl who hated physical contact with the opposite sex. If that was the case, then Federico had absolutely no chance. But on the bright side, she wasn't wearing a crucifix or a cross, but hell she covered up more than the nuns around here.

"I remember now, tesoro, that you were called here by Claudia." She nodded once slightly, her fingers poking together more quickly now. "Well, mio caro, my sister has a monstrous temper and you do not want it to blow up." For emphasis, he blew in her ear and felt her tremble beneath his arm, her fingers now missing the precise poking that she had been doing. He felt only a little bad, but he was only prepping her up so she could survive Claudia.

Annetta smiled again as she watched her master usher in the girl who had left in such a hurry. "Buongiorno, Master Ezio! Ah, it seems you stopped Signorina Balbina from leaving!"

Ezio nodded, his eyes glazed over from fatigue. Last night, he had returned home late from his daily _activities,_ but he had been confronted by Vieri's thugs on the way and had been forced to spend two hours in a smelly haystack. By the time he had reached home, it was already quite late. "Yeah, morning Annetta. I'm hungry." He complained, sitting down on the master chair that usually only his father occupied, but he didn't care.

Annetta ignored him, turning to Balbina who stood fidgeting behind a pillar. "What are you doing, young miss? Come and take a seat!"

Ezio watched as the girl began to shake her head, her eyes visibly panicked, but Annetta had seized the girl by the arm and had seated her on the opposite end before him. The chair that was specifically reserved for his Mother. He didn't know how he felt about seeing her sitting there looking fidgety, but it was definitely unpleasant. His mother - the most important woman in his life and to see someone else occupying her space even unintentionally pushed a surge of anger through him.

But to his surprise, she stood up gingerly not letting the chair slide back and screech and then moving to sit on the side chair, her head still lowered - her fringe nearly touching the table in front of her.

The question was out before he realised. "Why did you move chairs?"

She gave him a side glance, before turning to look at the headrest of the chair. It was intricately decorated with emeralds embedded in the metal and a small crown with rubies. The chair demanded respect and only his mother was worthy of that respect.

"I . . . It - felt wrong." She simply whispered. This mousy girl from nowhere had seen what he had seen.

Ezio stared at her in a new light. Mousy, boring and plain, but not overbearing and definitely very respectful. He was impressed.

She had impressed him from a simple act of humbleness.

And now he approved her for Federico.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading - another chapter related to this chapter will be out soon!**


	8. Fascination

_1470, Florence_

Federico hadn't forgotten the moment he had laid eyes on Balbina Moretti.

It had been the winter of 1470 and his young siblings were in a full blast for the upcoming event of _Natale._ But a sense of sadness had always been an element in the Auditore family at any joyous occasion for their youngest sibling had struggled to do what many his age did with ease. While Ezio and Claudia made sure to keep their celebrations to a minimum around Petruccio, they still did not understand the grief Federico read in his ill sibling's eyes.

It had been his remarkable trait, but many a times he had wished he was as oblivious to the feelings of others as Ezio and Claudia could sometimes be. But at the same time, he was comforted in knowing that Petruccio relied on him foremost before anyone else when it came to expressing his sadness. That winter had been such a day, but in the worst possible timing.

Vieri de Pazzi had been a thorn on the side of the Auditore family, but never had Federico crossed paths with the man until the _vigilia di Natale_. He had secretly taken Petruccio out to see the decorations that had been put up with intricate candles and bright silken ribbons that decorated Florence in a festival that would last for a few days. Knowing his brother's ill health, Federico had initially been hesitant, but upon his repeated pleading, he had conceded. Federico had been only seen fifteen winters at the time, but protecting his brother who had seen seven less winters than him came with a heavy responsibility.

"Federico! I want some cheesecake!" Petruccio had demanded, his small finger pointing at a food stall where a man sat cutting the cheese and layering the cake with it. His brother had never tried street food for it had been forbidden to him from their personal dottore and he was not going to start bending rules now.

"No. You can't, Petruccio. Besides, _madre_ will not be pleased if we start snacking before dinner." He gently reminded, his arm steering the boy away from the food stall with a disappointed look on his face. He wished then that it didn't have to be this way. Petruccio had barely seen past the streets outside the mansion and it was clear how much he longed to do things that children his age had already done.

And then Vieri de Pazzi had appeared, his little gang of thugs barely reaching Federico's height, but evidently outnumbering him. "Oh oh oh, look who it is! The elder, honorable son of the _Auditore_ . . ." He spat the word as if it was a disgusting aftertaste. " . . . and the sickly, useless brother of his!"

Petruccio looked on with huge blue eyes before the words dawned on him. He shrunk back into the side of Federico, terribly stung at being called useless. For the last few months, Petruccio had begun to see that he was allowed to do nothing around the house and wasn't even dispatched on chores like Federico, Ezio and Claudia were. When he had asked his father about this, the man had said that he was too young. But that had been the same response last year and the year before.

"Get lost." Federico commanded, moving to walk past the boy before he was blocked again. "Trust me, Vieri - any other day and I would have dealt with you by now so consider yourself lucky and _fuck off._ " The last few words of the sentence had been whispered directly to the man deliberately so his younger sibling did not catch on the terrible language that he was spewing.

Vieri only laughed, a strange cackling sound that reminded Petruccio of the witches from the theater he had gone to once. "Look at that! An Auditore telling a Pazzi what to do. My father will have your neck someday!" He yelled, spit flying out unattractively before his eyes met the frightened ones of Petruccio. "Oh and what a pitiful thing you are. I am sure one day you'll be hanging-!"

Searing pain sent the boy sprawling on the ground; his bloodied nose the only indication that he had been punched. His gang of lanky boys paled at the fierce expression on the assailant's face, before turning heels and running off. Pazzi groaned and after throwing a warning too hurriedly left, his nose now forever crooked.

A sense of pleasure and pride filled his chest at being able to defend the name of his forefathers. No doubt his father and brother would be proud of him, but he still felt a little guilty at having exposed his sheltered brother to such a violent form of rivalry. The apology was already on the tip of his tongue, but when he looked down his brother had disappeared.

His chest tightened with a harrowing concern. "Petruccio!" The streets were quiet now that evening had set in and the chill of the air had sent everyone running to their fireplaces. " _Fratellino_! Where are you?"

His voice echoed and carried back with the wind ominously. No one was here except him and Petruccio was gone. He had let his brother down and had failed to protect him. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind as he looked in every direction, the snow and fog blurring his vision. _Where are you, Petruccio? I am sorry I scared you. Per favore, Dio, don't let him be hurt. Please don't let him be hurt._

Nearly an hour had passed and Federico had scanned the nearby streets meticulously, but his brother had vanished into the snow. His heart was hammering painfully, both with exertion and fear. The snow was coming down heavy and fast and Petruccio would no longer be able to sustain himself in such weather. Mother would die if something happened to him and at this point, Federico was sure he was very close to dying himself. He had let him down. Petruccio would never trust him again. Petruccio would never love him again.

"PETRUCCIO!" He screamed, helplessly before his legs gave way and he sank down. A small stall creaked with his weight as he leaned upon it. The snow continued on relentlessly. Minutes seeming like eons passed. And for the first time in his life, Federico allowed his tears to fall without a care. He didn't care. He just wanted Petruccio back.

"U-u-m, m-m-m-mi scusi." Startled, he turned to face a tiny face peeking from a cloak. Brown eyes were large with fear as she looked around nervously, before tracing the frozen tear tracks on his face. What did she want? He had no mind to help others at this present moment - he was in the state where he was the one who needed help. And Petruccio . . . fresh tears clouded his vision at the memory of his brother's petrified face.

"A-are you . . . okay?" She asked again, leaning over him to peek at his clouded eyes. When he turned to her with a vexed look in his eyes, she stepped back looking stung. The handkerchief that trailed from the end of her fingers now disappeared in her fist as she shuffled her feet like a thief. The situation almost made him laugh - he had lost the most precious thing and a thief had come to rob him. Well, at this point he would give up anything if it meant Petruccio would be okay.

She sighed, shivering in the thick cloak more than he was shivering without one. "Y-y-our brother. He-he-he is over there."

The words rejuvenated his spirits so fast that he had risen to his feet. His bones creaked as if they had frozen and pins and needles shot through his toes, but he didn't care. The girl seemed surprised too, but he had seized her by the arms eliciting a cry from her.

"Where!" He demanded and she murmured something, before inclining her head towards a small stall in the distance. He had pushed her away before racing to the stall under which sat his brother. Contrary to what he had expected, Petruccio was not shivering violently. Instead, he was bundled up in a thick cloak that seemed similar to the thief girl's. A warm brioche bread was in his hand and Federico wondered where he had acquired that from.

A few hours later when they had returned home and Madre had given him an earful about being reckless, he hesitantly approached Petruccio in his room.

The boy was counting his feathers as was his nightly routine, but upon seeing the older brother, he became withdrawn again.

"Petruccio." Federico started, an apology feather tickling his hand as he sat beside him. "I . . . I am sorry, _Fratellone_." He dropped the feather in between them as if hoping it would mediate for him.

It seemed to work for Petruccio smiled hesitantly. "I-it's okay. The bad man was going to hurt you and me, right? You did it to protect me, right?"

Guilt swept over him at the question. He would have never let Vieri hurt him, but he had punched him out of his own pride. ". . . Of course."

He smiled toothily. "Then it is all well, _'Rico!_ " Federico smiled at the pet name and knew things had been mended. Petruccio did not hate him, but there was certainly an element of fear there that had never been there before. All because of Vieri de Pazzi.

Petruccio, oblivious to his brother's thoughts, carried on. "I forgot to say thank you to Balbina!"

This time Federico looked on confused. "Who?"

His blue eyes shined with sadness. "The nice lady who helped me! She gave me her cloak and her hot bread to keep me warm! I never got to say thank you!"

The older sibling didn't look troubled at his admission. "It's not a big deal, Petruccio. She can buy another cloak and bread."

A cloak and bread had no value next to Petruccio and the girl had not done anything far-fetched. Yet his brother was keen on making it seem like a big deal.

Finally, when his brother became silent, Federico decided to take his leave. It had been a long day and he wanted to simply go to sleep. No doubt Ezio would be around the corner waiting to interrogate him next, but only if he could catch a few minutes of a shut eye...

". . .If I told you that she saved me from the bad man, will you-!"

"What?!" He was in front of his solemn sibling in seconds - amber eyes promising retribution for his suffering. "Petruccio. You will speak clearly and honestly."

His words seemed to have had an opposite effect for Petruccio stammered unclearly. "H-h-he saw me c-c-c-c-ry . . . cr-crying. Then he - he tried to . . . take me . . . with him."

Anger engulfed him with such strength that he was sure his nails had left a mark on the wooden handles of the Petruccio's chair. "Did he touch you, Petruccio?"

The boy shook his head hurriedly allowing a few stray tears to fly around his cheeks. "No, no! The lady - Balbina - she saw I didn't wanna' go with him. She helped me, 'Rico!"

He didn't push for more information. It was enough for now. Vieri de Pazzi would never dare to cross paths with the Auditores after today, Federico vowed internally. But more importantly, he owed gratitude to the thief girl, Balbina. Tomorrow, he would pay all his debts.

* * *

No success had been made in finding the girl who had swooped in and saved his brother. He only had a name to go by, but no one in the neighborhood of the Auditore had any idea of a girl by such name.

And her face escaped him too - the only thing he remembered were her brown eyes that were huge with fear. Fear from whom, he wondered. Was it Vieri or was it . . . him?

The thought disturbed him. He had been rough with the girl in his delirious state, but he was not a violent man. His parents had instilled a respect for generally everyone. On rare occasions, however, he didn't mind asserting his authority. And there was no doubt in his mind that he had done that yesterday.

Annetta came into view from the side of the road. Cheerful as ever, she stopped to greet him. " _Buon Natale_ , Signore Federico!" Even her chirpiness did not lighten his mood.

He shrugged, leaning against the pillar of the Auditore mansion. " _Immagino._ " He grumbled concealing a yawn as cold wind swept past him.

 _Natale_ was in full swing everywhere, but he was barely interested. The events from yesterday had dulled his spirits and he only had two things on his mind. To find the girl and pay his gratitude and to find Vieri and _sock_ him hard. Better yet have him crippled so he could never run again.

Annetta stared on at him for a while before he turned his tired amber eyes to the girl. "Are you searching for something, young master?"

He sighed. "You can call me Federico, Annetta. And _si_ \- I guess I am."

She smiled, always eager to help. "Maybe I can help you!" The small presents in her hand were deposited on the side and she turned to give him her full attention. "Do tell! The quicker you find what you are looking for, the more you can enjoy _Natale_!"

"Some girl - called Balbina. I . . . owe her _something_."

Her face brightened as if the glistening glitter on the Christmas tree. "I know of _one_ Balbina. But . . ." Suddenly, she seemed terribly dull. "The Balbina I know lives in a slightly less . . . _extravagant_ area. I doubt you can owe her anything."

Hope emerged in his heart again. "Does she like bread?!"

Annetta looked surprised as if he had said that the sky was red. "Well . . . I have seen her with the brioche bread from Signore Vitali's bakery."

He asked her address and was gone after saying a quick thank you. She watched as he dodged a group of pied pipers singing and disappeared into the corner. And then she wondered just what a girl like Balbina owed to someone like Federico.

Federico had frequented the middle district only on a few rare occasions. One, when he had been chased by _Vittoria_ 's padre all the way into the hub of the middle district and once when he had a letter from his own father to deliver.

But it was no doubt he stood out like a sore thumb. The girls would walk past him and then let out a giggle. Some would stand and point at him remarking that the eldest son of the Auditores had lost his way here. And some would pass him hateful glares; particularly the older citizens.

Either way, he didn't care. He was here to thank the girl and ask her for her payment for helping his brother. And then to find Vieri . . .

A small street greeted him off the main road. Under the shade of the tall buildings, Federico breathed a sigh. _Natale_ had brought everyone out to the streets to offer celebrations and wishes and he was sick of running into someone who had something to say. He didn't care at this point.

The tiny white house from the address glared at him. It was a shabby looking place next to Auditore mansion and there was barely an entrance. He looked around for a door knocker, but after not finding one he rapped his bruised knuckles on the door.

After an eon of waiting and wondering, he began to turn on his heel when the door opened a creak and out peeked huge brown eyes.

The fear inside them unsettled him, but he coughed and smiled charmingly. " _Buon Natale_ , Signorina Balbina."

The eyes continued to stare at him frightened while her face remained obscured. He swallowed, feeling the chill in the air increase a little more. Perhaps, this was a bad idea. This girl was obviously strange and he was already in enough trouble at home.

So he smiled, taking a step back gingerly. "You were very kind to my brother yesterday. I merely wished to extend my gratitude to you." He bowed perfectly and then began to head to the exit of the street.

" _A-a-aspetti_!" A meek voice that was so quiet cried from behind him. If the wind had been blowing any louder, he would have surely missed it. Finally, she revealed her pale face from the door, her small hands clutching a journal and her waist length hair glistening in the light. Her dress was brown as was her hair and her eyes. There was nothing significant about her. Nothing at all.

Until she pulled a feather from her journal and an Auditore brooch. His instant thoughts at viewing the objects in her hand were that she indeed was a thief girl. She had stolen these items from Federico. But upon thinking further, he wondered why she would choose to expose herself to him in such a way. Surely, she did not want him to hand her over to the guards of Firenze.

"Y-y-your _fratello minore . . ._ dropped these. I-I-I intended to return these yesterday, b-but you were gone." The last words were barely audible, but she seemed terribly embarrassed at her explanation.

However he was surprised at her justification instead. It didn't take a genius to estimate the price of the Auditore brooch. It had been made with a rare gem and expensive gold and the way it was crafted spoke volumes for itself. Federico, nor Petruccio had even noticed the absence of the brooch and she could have easily sold it for a fortune. Instead, she chose to return it. Growing up, he had seen deceit and lies around his family. Those who called him his friends often only stuck around because of the label and the wealth he carried. He had great influence over people as a wealthy son of a banker, but that was all there was to it.

"U-u-um." She shifted on one toe to another as if such movement would help her combat the cold.

Looking at her with a newfound respect, he moved to take the items from her and accidentally brushed his fingers with her palm. She moved back so fast as if he had seared her and then rushed back to the wooden door. Before a thank you could leave his lips, the door was clicking shut for good. He didn't know why, but it felt as if he had been rejected.

* * *

Life had not changed for Federico immediately after this incident, but the impression left behind by a middle class girl remained. He began to notice that every other week she would be queuing up for the brioche bread. In the queue, she would scribble in her journal and not realize that people would jump the queue. He found her obliviousness annoying at the beginning, but soon it began to appeal to him. It was refreshing to see how easy she was to read and the simple life she led.

Soon, when he began to give his time at the bank, he would see the girl trudge inside with her father who would always frown at him. She would never raise her head from the floor and would follow her father like a shadow. His fascination with her odd behavior grew - truly he had not seen a girl like her in the entirety of Firenze. Girls from the middle class district were not normally educated to read and write, yet this girl was. Many girls her age liked to fawn over pretty dresses, but the girl had little mind for such things.

In fact he was sure she had little mind for anything that was around her. She had been visiting the bank for six months before she noticed him working there. It surprised him when there was no flash of recognition on her face. She merely looked away and carried on scribbling in that journal of hers. He felt as if he had been rejected again.

Balbina Moretti was a nobody, yet many years after noticing her she had become someone important to him. He didn't know when it happened or how - only that he longed to talk to her or find an excuse to. Five years would pass before he would find the excuse.

A morning stroll by the Arno River had changed his life. _She_ was there, scribbling away in her journal as he had expected her to before her gaze had fixed upon his brother. Federico was not an unobservant individual. Years of noticing the girl had given him an extensive knowledge about her. She was smitten with Ezio and although the thought had barely bothered him at the start, it now caused ripples of fury to run through him.

He did not understand the affection or the cause of it. Ezio was popular for all the wrong reasons. Although he himself had no higher moral ground than Ezio, there still was a huge difference in their personalities. Boyhood had come to an end for him and Federico had accepted that, yet Ezio was no where near close to understanding this.

The page on which she had been huddled over had suddenly flew away from her as a gust of wind came from the south. Hysteria prevailed over her eyes when she realized that the page had gone missing. And when she finally noticed it being taken by the gale, she had scrambled after it till it had landed near the feet of some guards. Naturally, he had not expected her to approach them to retrieve her parchment and she did not disappoint. Like the gust of wind, she was gone quickly too.

* * *

 _Ti amero per sempre, Ezio._ His fingers traced the chicken scrawl with a mixture of affection and pain. They stopped at the familiar name and then resumed the same track again. Questions arose in his mind one by one, but only one kept him awake at night. _Why do I even care?_

And after a month of deep pondering and asking ambiguous questions to his mother, Federico finally arrived at a conclusion.

He had fallen in love with Balbina Moretti.

* * *

 **Terminology:**

 **Natale - Christmas**

 **Vigilia de Natale - Christmas Eve**

 **Fratellino - Baby brother/younger brother**

 **Mi Scusi - Excuse me**

 **Buon Natale - Merry Christmas**

 **Immagino - I guess**

 **Aspetti - Wait**

 **Ti amero per sempre - I will love you forever**

* * *

 **Sorry it is a very late update, but I wrote a long chapter in compensation. It is a very important chapter in my opinion as it shows how Federico came to know about Balbina. Just to remind everyone, the chapter is a memory chapter - set five years before the main story line. Near the end of this chapter, it comes back to the current year this story is set in.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	9. Welcome

_1475, Florence_

Awkward didn't even begin to describe how she was feeling right now. Despite having been in many embarrassing situations, she had never expected to be seated on the grand dining table with nearly every single Auditore around her. The father and Federico were the absent ones. Even on special occasions, she had only ever seen the male head of the family rendezvousing for a few minutes before he would be gone. It reminded her of her own father - he would be gone for many days, sometimes weeks and would come home for a few days before leaving again. She missed him and from the way the youngest sibling kept on glancing towards the empty chair made her think that he missed his father too.

"Ahem!" The female offspring of the household interjected suddenly. " _Belina_ Moretti, just why do you think you are entitled to be seated here with us?"

Horror swept across her face at the question and she began to rise hurriedly before their deadly calm mother held up a hand. "Please be seated, Signorina _Balbina_. _Piccolina_ , you will not disrespect our guest."

The girl upturned her face, the pointy nose highlighting her aristocratic status. "Madre, she is not a guest! She is here to run some chores for me." She looked towards her as if asking her to confirm her role and Balbina nodded hurriedly.

Ezio yawned for the umpteenth time. Trust Claudia to sour up the whole fun and just where was Federico? He could not wait to see his face when he would see his beloved. A mischievous smile lit up his face when he imagined Federico blushing. It would truly be a sight to behold - it was the first time his brother had fallen in love - whatever that meant.

" _Basta!_ " Maria cried, annoyed at her child's impervious attitude. "A visitor is a guest. And you will be respectful to her, Claudia." Her children knew better than to push their luck past this point. At her sharp tone, Petruccio stopped rubbing his eyes and Ezio sat up a little straighter, his finger tapping hurriedly at the table out of nervousness.

Meanwhile, Balbina wished the Earth would swallow her whole. She had been here a few minutes and already she had caused conflict at the dining table. Her father's words came ringing in her mind. _Balbina, who would want to be associated with us? We are nothing next to the Auditores._

Silence ensued at the table, but tension remained from the earlier exchange. The girl, Balbina sat with even more hunched shoulders. Her plate that had been filled up with food due to the insistence from everyone except Claudia remained untouched. She dared not look up for Claudia was throwing sharp razor-like glares in her direction. Ezio felt a tad bit sorry for her but was not keen to get on the wrong side of his sister. She had a perfect aim and he rather liked his beautiful nose.

Federico walked in just when Balbina was ready to bolt out the door. Ezio grinned at the way he stopped by the door and looked straight at the girl, before looking at his own disheveled appearance and then disappearing again. Two minutes later, he emerged by the door - his hair neat and combed and his shirt now tucked in his breeches. He chuckled in his fist when his older brother stiffly walked to his mother and leaned to kiss her cheek before greeting everyone.

And then he sat directly in front of the girl who still did not look up. " _Buongiorno_ , Signorina Moretti."

She looked up, brown eyes large and perpetually fearful before she muttered a reply in return. He did not miss the way her eyes trailed over his brother's bandaged nose before her eyes flickered to Claudia's piercing glare. Frightened, she looked down again hurriedly.

" _Fratellone_ , how is your nose?" Ezio decided to ask the question that had no doubt been on the tip of his beau's tongue. "Looks like someone did a number on you!"

Claudia met her large green eyes with him, suddenly frightened. The knowledge of Claudia's assault on her brother had not been revealed to Maria Auditore. Without a doubt, such information would surely see the girl punished severely.

Federico passed him a glare when his mother touched his face with concern. "Federico, my sweet, which _mostro_ did this to you?"

Ezio snorted when color flooded his sister's face. "Indeed, what a _mostro_. It takes a true _mostro_ to do such harm to such a pretty face! But it also takes an _angelo_ to come to the rescue."

Three things happened simultaneously. Federico turned to stare at the girl in front of him intensely, Claudia turned bright red as if the insult had imploded her insides and their guest blushed furiously at his words. With a start suddenly, Ezio realized that he had never had so much fun in his life before. Women were fun in their own place, but recently he had become bored. He needed something else to entertain him and so far Bal- _beena_ Moretti had not disappointed.

Maria fixed her second son with a no-nonsense look. "I expect you to tell me everything about this matter, Ezio."

He feigned innocence by batting his long eyelashes and shrugging his shoulders. His mother, however, was acquainted enough with every whim her children would throw her way and she did not believe him at all. "Do not try my patience, _son_."

His eyes flickered to Federico's which promised retribution later on, but right now he feared his mother more. "Well . . . Claudia-!"

The matriarch held up a hand. " _Basta_ _._ I understand exactly what conspired and I will be . . ." She fixed Claudia with a pointed look. ". . . going through a long interrogation as to _why_ it happened."

She then touched her guest's shoulder that was so stiff that Maria wondered if the girl had frozen. She jumped up in the air and met frightened eyes with the elder lady. "My . . . did I frighten you? It was not my intention to do so, dear one, but you look terribly pale."

Claudia intercepted not liking the attention that was being endowed on her. "She's fine!"

Maria glared. "Silence." Then with the most gentle hazel eyes, she smiled at the girl. "There will be no need for you to do chores for anyone. I do apologize that you had to come here so early in the morning and be greeted with such a rude audience." She turned slightly in Claudia's direction before smiling pleasantly at the girl again. "But since you are here, may I invite you to stay for dinner?"

The girl turned paler at the last word. Ezio stared with restricted laughter at the sight before him. The girl looked like a stage ghost; pale and frozen. Her brown eyes that were usually hidden under her fringe were ever so prevalent as they stared, enlarged at the plate in front of her. Her shoulders were so high up that he wondered if there was a clothing line that had strung her up.

She opened her mouth and he instantly picked up what her response was going to be. She was going to refuse. Strange, Ezio thought. Girls around Firenze would literally die or kill to be in her position and yet here she was desperate to get away from them. Bal- _beena_ Moretti was different and perhaps that was the reason why he was going to such great lengths to keep her around for longer.

"Forgive our guest, Madre. She is completely overwhelmed with your kindness and has forgotten how to speak. But she _will_ stay for dinner." Maria watched as her second eldest smirked at their stationary guest. There was an odd gleam in his eye that made Maria sure that things would not be going as simply as he was suggesting.

"Well, I expect you to behave, Ezio," Maria warned watching as her son smiled angelically at her. Turning to Federico, she touched his nose for the umpteenth time. "Dear one, will you be going to the bank today? I sincerely wish you would rest."

Ezio watched his brother's eyes flicker to his secret crush. "I . . . I was not planning to, Madre. I do feel slightly off." He said, wiping his hand across his emboldened red cheeks. Ezio felt he was going to die from the laughter that was bubbling in his stomach.

A whole day with his brother and Bal- _beena_ Moretti was going to be terribly fun. He would have to cancel on Christina today.


	10. Misunderstanding

_1475, Florence_

Numerous paintings were lined across the hallway and living room of the Auditore mansion, but it was only now that she had begun to marvel at the collection. Afterall being seated in front of three penetrating pair of eyes required some form of distraction . . .

"Balbina, Balbina . . ." The younger Auditore muttered, his eyes far away as if he was searching for a memory hidden somewhere in the mysterious paintings.

Ezio, who was half-asleep and sprawled on the loveseat perked upon hearing the name. " _Wha?_ Petruccio, why are you whispering about our guest in her very presence?"

Blue eyes glared at the scolding that was coming his way. "Why are you sleeping in front of our guest?"

Federico sighed, a red hue of embarrassment creeping up his neck as Balbina stared at the argument with large brown eyes. " _Per favore,_ Ezio, Petruccio. Just drop it."

His younger brother seemed to grow mellow immediately at his older brother's words, but Ezio smirked boldly. He sat up, straight and then fixed Balbina with his piercing Chesire eyes. "So Balbina, what would you like to do?"

She stared blankly before her eyes instinctively shot to the bookcase before returning to stare at her muddy brown dress. Next to the Auditores, she looked like a peasant and in this glamorous living room, she felt like a tiny lint on an intricately designed tapestry. She could not wait to leave and lock herself in her house for eternity. She would stop coming to the upper district - not even for the brioche bread . . .

"AH!" Petruccio cried, startling her so terribly that she bumped her knee hard against the table. The pain did not register in her mind until she met the concerned eyes of Federico. "I remember now where I have seen you, Signorina Balbina!"

She felt her windpipe closing. Had this little _bambino_ caught her admiring his brother on some wretched occasion? Had Federico allowed him to read and laugh at her ill-fated affection with the boy who was well beyond her reach? Padre was right - the Auditores was bad news and she should have done everything to avoid being embroiled in their life!

Before Federico could seize the young teen, he had raced over to the girl and snagged her in a tight hug. Federico watched with tight lips as the girl lost all color on her face. Guilt constricted his chest at the sight - he should have known that Balbina would not adjust to the whims of his brothers. And Claudia - she was the reason for this mess in the first place.

On the other hand, Ezio watched with great interest at the pure joy and unguardedness that surrounded Petruccio. Growing up, he had seen Petruccio become ostracized due to his ailing health. Naturally, he had not been exposed to the social aspect that came with being an Auditore and thus had become rather reserved with strangers. Not with Balbina, it seemed.

"Thank you!" He beamed, peeking into the same brown eyes that had stared at him with endless kindness. "You saved me from the bad man, remember?"

"The bad man?" Ezio growled, protectiveness for his sibling making him forget all pleasantries and jovialness. "What the hell is he talking about?" He directed the question at both Federico and Balbina, his hazel eyes blazing with promised retribution. Balbina gulped at the sight and looked away hurriedly, an unpleasant fear chilling her body. She had been frightened of Ezio before - frightened to be noticed by him, but never had she been frightened of the anger that was now being directed at her.

"Ezio," Federico warned when the boy continued to shoot needle-like glares at the girl.

The youngest of them shared the sentiment. "Stop blaming Balbina! She helped me, _stupido_!"

 _I did_? Balbina ran her mind through all the eventful moments that had ever occurred in her life. Nowhere did she remember ever coming across this boy. But maybe she had - long before Ezio came crashing into her life and taking ownership of her mind and attention. Had she grown so absentminded that nothing held importance to her unless it somehow related to the boy that sat before her? Why had he become the center of her universe in such a short period? Why had she allowed it?

Federico had then cleared the air and the mystery behind the event. It had come back to her like a vague memory. _Natale_ was not an event that she had celebrated due to the absence of her father, so it did not surprise her that she had brushed that year under the carpet like any other. But one thing stood out to her from the memory - a tiny figure that had hunched under the stall and a violent man that sought to take him away. She had acted on instinct then - her hand had rolled a ball of snow and chucked it straight at his head. Then in the highest-pitched voice, she had pretended to call for the guards. They had come running after her and she had dodged them through ducking and hiding in haystacks and alleyways.

And then she had come back for the boy. He had been ill then and the pallor of his skin confirmed that he was still no better five years on.

"A-a-a-a-are y-you bet-t-ter now?" She whispered, already knowing the answer. The room fell deathly silent and never had she felt so loud before. "I-I-I-I h-had h-hoped you w-w-would be o-okay."

They stared at her with newfound respect. No one had ever cared about asking for the welfare of their youngest brother. He was a forgotten family member of the Auditore - always overshadowed by the other three. He had grown up extremely sheltered, but a deep longing always dulled his blue eyes. He longed to be accepted, to be recognized, to be asked for. It was certainly the first time.

"I am." Petruccio gave a solemn smile, tears pooling in his eyes at the genuine concern she displayed. "I am much better now that I got to thank you! I am sorry I was so late."

A whisper of a smile touched her pink lips before it disappeared completely. "N-no problem." It was the first time Federico felt his heart skip a beat. In the few months that he had concluded his feelings, it was the first time he felt them. It was the first time he truly _felt_ his feelings.

It was also the first time Ezio also concluded that no matter what happened, he would never forget the kindness that Balbina had casually bestowed on his brother. No matter what happened, he would always protect her with his life.

* * *

Duccio de Luca hummed lowly at the entrance of the _palazzo_ belonging to the scum of Firenze. When the news had come about that he had wooed the female, his father had gone berserk. He had screamed in his face that Duccio would be disowned before Claudia became part of the De Luca family. It was then Duccio had explained that he only planned to play around a bit with her and his father had given his blessings. But Claudia played the upper hand - she had declared him as her fiancé to the entire Firenze and since then he had been looking for excuses to quickly use her and dump her.

And so here he was again, standing in the shade of the Auditore and secretly hoping that her three bodyguards were not around. Federico, Ezio and the weak, pathetic one were all an eyesore for him. Despite the engagement a few evenings ago, they still were semi-hostile to him. But he had never imagined Federico to be possessive over a peasant girl. Why should a patrician care for a peasant except if he only wished to bed her?

Boisterous laughter indicated to him that he would be receiving an audience again today. Did these bastards ever leave the house? Claudia was too prudish to ever come to his manor, so he had been looking for opportunities to corner her alone in her own house. It was risky, but he enjoyed this little game of cat and mouse. But once again, he would have to retreat.

"Signore De Luca!" Annetta exclaimed, looking over the stack of laundry that she was carrying. "A pleasure to have you this late morning! Why are you leaving? Come in! Come in!"

He gulped, leaning against the pillar. "No, no, _tesoro_. I must go."

She looked horrified and perpetually distressed as if he had taken off with her measly wages. "That won't do! Signorina Claudia looks forward to every time you come calling! She is a little . . . preoccupied right now, but the young masters are hosting another guest today."

He raised an eyebrow. "Another guest?"

Annetta smiled brightly as if it greatly joyed her to speak of this guest. "Si, si, si! It is Signorina Balbina!"

The name immediately came to him from the day before. Arno river and a pretty catch that sat beside it. He was sure of it now - Federico was bedding her . . . and perhaps even sharing her with Ezio. A devilish grin crept up his face as he nodded and walked towards the living room.

Lo and behold, she sat there in the most horrendous outfit he had ever seen. But the dark bloom on her cheeks and the way her eyes lightened and dulled every second convinced him that this girl was his type. He loved the innocent types, but after meeting Claudia he liked the innocent _quiet_ types. This girl was just that.

" _Buongiorno_!" He announced, moving to sit beside Petruccio who was huddled tightly next to the girl. Upon seeing him, Petruccio frowned distastefully and moved to sit on the other side of the girl. He would teach the little brat some manners one day, but this was the first time he had sat ever so close to this _angelo_.

"Duccio," Federico growled, appearing to be extremely candid. "Why are you here?"

He smiled, understanding why the heir was so frightened of his presence. It would do no good to the Auditores if news of their affairs with a peasant girl got out. Dirty laundry that he had already seen. "To see Claudia, of course."

Ezio rolled his eyes, suddenly wishing he was anywhere else, but here. "Well, do you see Claudia around here?"

Duccio's green eyes flashed like lightning on a sunny day. "Well, it feels like it has been too long since I saw my darling brothers-in-law too!" He then turned his attention to the girl who was reading a huge book with great interest. Hmm, how peculiar - the peasant _angelo_ could read too.

"And what is this? You start your mornings with fun and end your nights with fun too. It must be nice to have no betrothed." He smirked, raking his eyes down the figure of the girl that sat obliviously next to him.

Two things happened simultaneously. Ezio's jaw dropped in shock while his jaw was almost knocked out of his mouth. He slammed against the side table and went crashing down with a vase. Still, considering the situation he was in, Duccio found laughter bubbling up from the inside. Federico, the high and mighty was fawning over a bumpkin.

When Petruccio moaned in fear, he passed a bloody smile at the tiny boy that peeked from behind the alarmed girl's side. "Aw, don't be frightened, little chick. This is man talk - only real men understand it, not weak and pathetic ones."

Federico was upon him and had seized him by the throat. " _Stai zitto, bastardo_!"

Between the assault of his punches, Duccio coughed weakly. "What happened, _mio cognato_? Can't share the whore with anyone except your filthy brothers?"

Rage seemed to blind Federico for he was pounding him with hard, ruthless fists. He vaguely registered Ezio's futile attempts at pulling the bastard off him, but one voice stopped it all.

"FEDERICO!"

* * *

Tears were rolling out of her eyes by the time a breathless Balbina slammed the door to her tiny house shut. It was all her fault. Everything had been her fault.

After shutting all the windows till not even a sliver of afternoon sunlight peeked in, she collapsed on a wooden chair and cried. She had caused a rift between the Auditores. She had turned the siblings against each other. Claudia had screamed and told Federico that he was no brother of hers. Maria Auditore had yelled at both Federico and Ezio for stressing Petruccio. And poor, _piccino_ Petruccio had cried and trembled in her arms before she had reluctantly pulled away. And her own heart - it had pounded in great fear at the wildness in Federico's eyes and she had apologized before running away.

It was the only thing she was ever good at doing. Running away. She could not bear to see Ezio glare at her hatefully. No doubt he hated her now - she had sowed discourse in his otherwise, peaceful family. She hated herself. But one thing was sure - she would never dare to step outside her street. She would never visit the Arno river. She would never queue up for bread. She would certainly never look at an Auditore again.

* * *

"How did this happen?" Maria hissed, glaring at the disheveled appearance of her eldest. Blood dripped from his vermillion knuckles and some of it stained the front of his breeches. The worse thing out of it all was the lack of remorse in his determined hazel eyes.

" _Madre_. He disrespected our guest." Ezio explained, looking just as grave as his brother. "The bastard mocked Petruccio too. He had it coming."

She paused, indecision suddenly clouding her heart. Her children had often divided her heart. She worried about Claudia and understood her devotion to her betrothed, but she also fretted over her youngest. How could she choose one over the other?

"Bring Claudia to me, immediately."

Annetta trembled by the door. "A-a-apologies, Signora Auditore. Signorina Auditore has gone with Signore De Luca."

Maria sighed frustratedly. "Find her, Annetta. It is unbecoming of a lady to be wandering alone with her betrothed. I want you to search every nook and corner of Firenze and not return till you have Claudia by your side."

Annetta gulped at the difficult task. Claudia would rather skin her alive before she returned to the mansion that easily. Maria, sensing her hesitation took pity on the pale girl. "Nevermind. I will go calling to De Lucas. Instead, would you please find Signorina Moretti? No doubt, she . . . has been wronged." The quivering of her voice indicated to them all that she felt greatly pained by the turn of events.

Annetta seemed more enthusiastic. "Right away!"

Federico stepped forward, speaking for the first time in two hours. "I will go."

Maria glared - the fire that had once been put out returning. "You will _absolutely_ not! Instead, you will come with me and make amends with _mio genero_!"

The contumacy in his eyes indicated to her that he had made up his mind. "I will apologize to Petruccio. I will also apologize to Claudia and you, _madre_ , for everything. However, I will not apologize to that _reietto_ even if it costs me my life."

And with that, he marched out to find his youngest brother. This was the second time he had done this to Petruccio. This was the second time he had seen the fear in his brother's eyes. But it was also the first time he had seen Balbina Moretti look at him the same way she would look upon a Firenze guard. And that hurt more than his aching knuckles.

* * *

Ezio had had enough.

Claudia had refused to eat and had locked herself in her room. Petruccio had been huddled back to bed with a terrible fever. _Madre_ had spent the entire afternoon and evening at the bastard's little nest and no doubt was beseeching at their feet to save the engagement. And Federico had been sitting on the vantage point of their mansion's church. He had refused to come down.

He knew it was so selfish of him to offer no respite to the scared girl, but here he was standing at her doorstep merely hours after the event. A thick cloak covered his person and a hood hid him from those who were very much acquainted with him. Especially the old men that had found him in their daughters' bedrooms. A chuckle escaped him as he remembered the thrill of being chased around Firenze by furious grandfathers and fathers. Oh, how he missed that life.

He hoped this was the right address. It had taken so much begging for Annetta to finally whisper Bal- _beena_ Moretti's address. She had been under strict orders that Signorina Moretti was to not be disturbed by either Federico nor him. Yet, here he was.

Finally, the door opened a tad bit and bloodshot brown eyes stared back at him. He felt his breath catch at the sight. Had he ever seen so much grief on someone's face before? Cristina often cried that she could not bear to see him with another woman, but never did he catch even a percent of this grief on her face. Had those words uttered by that _testa di cazzo_ cause her this much pain?

"S-s-si?" She stammered, a rolling pin hiding behind her back as she stared fearfully at the obscure figure that stood at her door.

Ezio suppressed a smile before he lifted his hood slightly. " _Buono sera_ , Bal- _beena_ Moretti."

He was here. He was going to tell her what a nuisance she was and how much he wished he had never met her. He was going to tell her that he never wanted to see her again. He was going to tell her that he absolutely _despised_ her.

"H-hey hey! Why are you crying, Bal- _beena_?" Ezio wasn't the one who comforted women. His brother was better in that department than him. "It is I who should be crying!"

She paused and looked up at his words. Dramatically, he leaned against the railing and looked pitifully up at the sky. Those theatre shows had taught him a thing or two about acting and lying.

"My _fratello_ _maggiore_ is so remorseful over his actions that he has decided to end his suffering." Her jaw dropped simultaneously with the clang of the rolling pin."Si, it is true! He stands at the top of the chapel and is confessing his past sins."

"T-t-t-hen y-y-y-you sh-should st-st-stop HIM!" She cried, feeling the urge to jump off a chapel herself. What had she done? This was all her fault.

Ezio sniffled, covering his growing grin with his hand. "Do you not think I have tried, Bal- _beena_? My brother is headstrong like a bull. He thinks everyone hates him! He thinks Claudia hates him. He thinks _Madre_ hates him! He thinks Petruccio hates him! He thinks . . . you hate him, Bal- _beena_." The last part of the statement was said with all the truth. Ezio genuinely knew that Federico thought his beloved hated him. He would prove him wrong.

"I-I-I-I do-do n-not hate him!" She declared, not registering the blush that overcame her entire body. She had never felt anything for Federico. He was someone peculiar - someone she had never noticed before until he had made himself known to her on her very own roof. Still, in the last few days, she was sure of one thing. Federico was someone she could trust. He had kept her secret and she respected that immensely.

"W-w-what do I-I do?"

He merely grabbed her hand and took off down the street.

* * *

"P-p-please d-d-don't!" She knew how pathetic it sounded and looked. The howling wind had silenced her cries and the way it ripped past her, she was scared it would take her with it. Despite that, Federico was turning with equally pained eyes to meet hers. He would have done it. He would have killed himself . . .

"BAHAHAHA!" Ezio roared, heaving over the ground with his arms clutched around his stomach. " _Dio Mio_! This is . . . _pfft_!"

Federico found it difficult to tear his eyes away from the girl. She had been crying and it was all his fault. "What is going on, Ezio?"

Ezio shook his head, trying his hardest to fight off the bouts of laughter that were coming his way. The look on her face and the look on his brother's face was simply pure gold. He could not believe how gullible Bal- _beena_ was and how easy it had been to trick her. She had truly thought Federico would commit suicide. The thought of his brother even contemplating suicide was funny enough as it was. But Bal- _beena_ had added flavor to this whole thing.

"Bal- _beena,_ please save my brother!" He cried, his voice carrying the last hints of laughter. "Look, he has become delusion that you hate him and so you must save him!" He held up his hands in a prayer position and watched the confusion on the girl's face. She looked unsure and that made him laugh again. Just how naive was she?

"Ezio, what are you talking about?" Federico hissed, grabbing the boy by the sleeve and lifting him. "Why do I need to be saved?"

She connected the dots immediately. Ezio had lied to her. And she had come running to save someone who did not need to be saved. If only there was a volcano that would erupt on her head so she could forever disappear.

On the other hand, Federico was touched. She had been worried about him and so had believed in Ezio's lies. She did not hate him and for once he felt he could breathe again.

"Signorina Moretti." He acknowledged, watching as Ezio took the opportunity to bolt down the stairs. "I apologize for my _stupido_ brother's actions. There is no reason for you to worry - I will never do such a thing."

She poked her fingers together, a visual representation of discomfort. " _B-b-b-bene_! I-I-I will b-b-be off then! _B-buona notte!"_ With that, she began to rush towards the exit of the roof too.

Somehow a desperate longing set in his heart. He didn't want her to leave - not so soon anyway. So he did something he never had the courage to do. She didn't like him - she liked Ezio. He should not look for ways to see her. He should not stop her. But just this once, he wanted to be selfish.

" _A-aspetti_!" Her wrist was like a frozen stick in his hand. She was deathly pale under the moonlight, but also extremely fragile to touch. "Please, c-can we talk?"

Her eyes looked immensely panicked when she realized that Ezio was no longer on the roof. "S-s-s-s-si?" She squeaked, her brown eyes large like a deer.

 _Why don't you see me?_

 _Why can't you see I love you?_

 _I love you and I am not sorry._

Words that he longed to say to her, but could not. She quivered violently when he wrapped his cloak around her, her breath hitching at their proximity. This was not right. Not right at all. She had to leave before someone got the wrong idea. Before Ezio got the wrong idea.

"I . . . I am _not_ sorry about this morning." He stated resolutely, stepping closer to her. There was something in his eyes - something strange that greatly befuddled her mind. "I do not regret what I did. He said things about you that were untrue and if I could go back I would-!"

"I-it's okay." She whispered, a hint of a smile appearing slightly on her white lips. "Y-y-your h-h-heart was in t-the r-right p . . . place."

"My heart?" His intentions had become unclear to him from the moment he had set eyes upon her. He had tried to avoid her - to stop himself from watching her, but it had become a habit. It was the only thing that kept him connected to her - the closest he could ever get. But he knew he had to let her go - she was not his, she would never be. And he loved her too much that he was willing to step back and let her win. He was happy to lose if it meant that she would win.

Smiling solemnly, he brushed his lips between her brows - feeling her grow rigid under his touch. "Thanks, Balbina."

"Federico . . . ?" A gasp sounded from the exit of the rooftop. The girl jumped away from him just as fast as he jumped away from her. But it was too late - the damage had been done. Maria Auditore had seen it all.

* * *

 **Terminology:**

 _Per favore - Please_

 _Bambino - Little One_

 _Stupido - Stupid_

 _Tesoro - Sweetheart_

 _Si - Yes_

 _Buongiorno - Good Morning_

 _Angelo - Angel_

 _Stai zitto - Be quiet_

 _Bastardo - Bastard_

 _Mio Cognato - My brother-in-law_

 _Madre - Mother_

 _Mio genero - My son-in-law_

 _Testa di cazzo - Dickhead_

 _Buono sera - Good evening_

 _Fratello maggiore - Older brother_

 _Dio Mio - My God_

 _Bene - Good_

 _Bouna notte - Good night_

 _Aspetti - Wait_

 **Thank you so much for reading!**


	11. Confusions

_1475, Florence_

Ezio giggled in his fist as a memory of Federico's supposed suicide came to mind. It had been a week since that incident, yet he had thought of it more than a dozen times. When was the last time since so much excitement had come his way?

Over the years, Federico had become rather dull. His once partner in crime and best friend had let go of all the things that they had once bonded over. _Padre_ expected Federico to run the Auditores in his absence and so a heavy responsibility had been thrust upon his shoulders.

But all it took was a stammering, middle class, much too innocent girl to shake off all the manliness out of Federico and turn him into a shy, bumbling little boy. When had he ever seen Federico shy? His brother was the epitome of confidence - always sure that he could woo any girl, but never did he hope to meet Bal- _beena_ Moretti.

He cast a glance over at Cristina who sat before her mirror. Her long golden-brown hair was catching the evening sun perfectly and her blue eyes were calling to him like the ocean calling a thirsty sailor. Still, he couldn't help but compare the two girls.

Bal- _beena_ Moretti was certainly plain. Her brown eyes were a no-match next to Cristina's blue, but he admitted that perhaps hers had more depth to them. Good for Federico - he could stare into them all day. And while they shared the same hair color, Cristina had wavy hair whereas Bal- _beena_ 's were completely straight. How simple, yet . . . pure.

"Are you even looking at me?" The Florentine beauty grumbled. "You have been sitting at the windowsill for half an hour. You keep laughing at something, _dio_ knows what! And then you look at me, yet you look straight through me. Should I not be offended, Ezio?"

" _Mio caro_ , my eyes are indeed seeing your beauty. I couldn't help, but marvel at how the same thing can look so distinct on a different person." He stated, thoughtfully - touching a strand of her wavy hair.

Cristina slapped his hand away. "You dare to come into my quarters and think of another woman? Get out!"

Ezio sighed and did the opposite. He made himself comfortable on her bed - his eyes faraway. "Federico has fallen in love."

She stared at him in silence, before rolling her eyes and turning away. "I doubt it. You Auditores are incapable of loving a single woman."

He laughed, guilty of the charge. "I never intended to even touch Teresa. But in my drunkenness, every brunette seemed to be you."

If she was angry before, she was furious now. Red-faced, she chucked her hairbrush at him. And he, being naturally dextrous dodged it perfectly. "The day you fall in love, Ezio Auditore, you will understand how much it hurts to see the one you love with another. I hope you feel that pain."

He brushed her words off with a charming smile. "But I do feel that pain, Cristina. When I see you admiring yourself in the mirror - I feel so neglected."

She joined him in bed then but pushed his hands away when they moved to encircle her waist. "So who is this woman your brother has become smitten with?"

Ezio suddenly seemed subdued. "A middle-class girl. Plain, but rather unique."

Hot red jealousy exploded in her chest. "Unique, you say? How can she be plain and unique at the same time?"

He seemed to ponder her words. "You would have to meet her to understand. She talks little, but still manages to say much."

She didn't seem to believe him. Blowing out the candle, she sank deeper in bed. "You talk in riddles, Ezio. One cannot be plain and unique at the same time. Neither can one speak little and say much. You are confused."

In the darkness, he watched the moon shine brightly. "I guess it surprises me why Federico chose a girl such as her. He goes for the blonde and blue-eyed beauties."

Cristina mumbled in her pillow, slumber calling her away from him. "Because love is blind, _stupido_."

 _A week has passed since I have wandered out of my street. My neighbors wonder why I no longer go to the Arno or to get my daily bread. I tell them that I miss Padre. It is not a lie, nor it is the truth._

 _Ezio's Madre saw what I can only describe as a misunderstanding. The look in her eyes still frightens me._

 _Federico and I? How can it be? It cannot be. Neither can it ever be Ezio and I. It is a dream and I wish for it to stay that way._

 _I have faith that he will clear up her misunderstanding. No man, such as Ezio or Federico would ever wish to be associated with someone such as I._

 _Still, the last few days have been the most thrilling of my life. I spent time in Ezio's proximity on more than one occasion. The last time I saw him, he had grabbed my hand and pulled me to the chapel to save Federico._

 _It was . . . strange, caro Diario! I should have felt my heart pound, skip and fly. It was the first time Ezio had ever touched me. He had held my hand! Yet . . . I felt nothing at that moment. My heart only dropped in fear - fear and worry for Federico. I wonder why I can still feel that fear so powerfully, but am incapable of feeling the butterflies that Ezio's presence normally brings me._

 _I feel that life has been generous to me. The thousand moments I dreamed of with Ezio were nothing compared to a few in the last few days that I experienced. It is enough. I will not hope for more - I am content to disappear again. To be on the sidelines . . . where I belong._

 _Balbina, 1475_

Federico could no longer take the silence and the hidden words that were in it. His mother was playing a dirty game - she wanted him to speak to her and clear the air. Yet, he was perfectly aware that anything he would say would fall on deaf ears.

Still, it was better than the side glances she kept on throwing his way. Even Claudia's hateful glares were more acceptable to him than that.

Ezio burped loudly from Claudia's side causing her to shoot him a glare too. Usually, _Madre_ would be on his case about manners and etiquettes, but she was too busy staring at him.

This carried on for a few moments when Ezio and Claudia fought over the last tart. His mother said nothing. When Petruccio played with his food, his mother still said nothing. When Claudia dumped her gelato on Ezio's head, she merely sighed. And when Annetta tripped over the end of the rug and sent the vermicelli everywhere, she merely blinked while keeping her eyes on him.

He had enough. " _Madre_. If you have something to say, please go ahead."

Everyone stopped and stared at him with mild shock. His words were spoken tightly as if a spring that had been coiled too much.

Maria Auditore finally smirked - a trait they had all gotten from her. "I wondered when you would ask, _mio amato figlio_."

Ezio gently moved a maid that was fretting over cleaning his hair. "What? What are you talking about, Federico?"

The eldest sighed. "You saw something that can only be misinterpreted. Our relationship is platonic."

"Which is exactly why it has come under my notice. When have you ever been platonic with a girl, Federico?"

Ezio snorted at his mother's words. So they were talking about Bal- _beena_ Moretti. In all the excitement that had come his way, Ezio had completely forgotten to tell his mother about Federico's feelings. Well, now would be a perfect time.

Leaning forward dramatically, he fixed his brother with a malicious grin. "That's because dearest Federico has fallen in love with Bal- _beena_ Moretti."

Multiple things happened at once. The maids, particularly Annetta gasped loudly before ushering all the other servants out. Federico picked up his spoon and had chucked it straight at Ezio's head. Petruccio's fork clanged noisily on his china plate whereas Claudia turned blue-faced after having her water go down the wrong pipe. Petruccio came to her aid but was not able to stop the ferociousness that erupted from her throat.

"Moretti? That little _puttana_ -!"

Federico glowered darkly at her. It did not deter her. "She is a homewrecker! Duccio tells me-!"

"Duccio speaks lies." Ezio found himself surprised at how strongly he felt about coming to the girl's defense.

His sister huffed, throwing her curls behind her arrogantly. "Duccio is noble. Noblemen do not lie. That Moretti girl is a nobody! How could you love someone such as her, Federico!"

Maria watched as he opened his mouth to give a fitting reply back, but shut it quickly. The expression on his face said it all for her. For the last few months, her son had asked her questions on love. She had had her suspicions, but they were now confirmed. Her son had fallen in love. He truly loved the girl. It was unlike any of his other affairs. This was . . . something serious.

"Do you love her, Federico?" She asked.

Ezio smiled. "Of course he does!"

Maria stopped him by holding up a hand. "I want him to answer."

The grandfather clock ticked ominously before he raised his head to reply. "Yes."

Claudia looked disgusted. "Your standards would drop so low, Federico?" Turning to her mother urgently, she passed her analysis with desperation. " _Madre_ , you must not allow it! She is a homewrecker, a nobody and now most definitely a gold digger too! She is after him for the money!"

Beside her, Petruccio hesitantly added his input. " _'Bina_ is not like that! She is kind, gentle and - and - and kind!"

Ezio chuckled. "You said kind twice, ' _Ruccio_."

Misery was growing in his own heart. It didn't matter anyway. They were all arguing in vain. He could no longer bear to hear Claudia malign Balbina nor could he tolerate Ezio speaking lies upon lies in her goodness. They knew nothing and he would not allow anyone to complicate the matters for her.

" _Basta_! Signorina Moretti does not return my feelings. She is completely unaware of them and has never made any attempt at changing the nature of our relationship. It was I who crossed that line, _Madre_."

His foolish younger brother counteracted again. " _Cazzate_! She was crying all the way when I was bringing her to you. You should have seen the relief in her eyes when she saw you were okay!"

Bitterness took over him wildly. "What do you know about her eyes, Ezio? You can't even say her name right, so what do you know?"

His brother merely whistled in return before smirking with his trademark dimple. "Someone is completely jealous."

Maria shook her head, embarrassed at the offsprings that she and Giovanni had created. A bunch of fools - that's what her children were. Only once her darling Petruccio met his wise blue eyes with her did she feel calm again.

"Enough of this. I will go to Signore Moretti the next instance he is in town."

Petruccio and Ezio let out a whoop. Federico and Claudia lost all color in their faces and instead stared at their mother in a state of horror.

" _Madre_!" He cried, suddenly feeling helpless when his mother's stony eyes met his. "She doesn't love me! You will only ruin the last precipes of our friendship if you turn up at her house."

Claudia nodded, her brown hair in disarray. "Not to mention her father probably hates Federico. He would rather marry her off to Vieri de Pazzi than to our brother here!"

It was a valid point, but one that made Federico frightened. Her father's hatred for the Auditores was prevalent all over the middle district. But unlike the usual fathers who hated him, her father despised the Auditores. He had refused Federico's help more than once in the bank, citing his reasons as 'I'd rather not be served by a flirty, dishonest patrician!'.

Maria looked conflicted at the points her children had made. She always imagined that when Federico would experience true love, he would be happy. Yet it seemed to have done the exact opposite. The differences between them and the Morettis were too large, yet Maria was ready to bridge these gaps if it meant Federico could experience true happiness. And she would have to do just that . . .

"Signore Moretti!" Desdemona, the gossiping nun greeted. She had just stepped out of the abbey when she stopped the hotheaded man returning from gate number _cinque_. "Good business, I assume?"

He spat distastefully. "Pah. Some bastard tried to con me of my supplies. I taught him a lesson he will never forget!"

She smiled, pretending to appease the man. "Little ' _Bina_ must miss you awfully. You were gone for nearly a fortnight."

He sighed, the anger suddenly replaced with a deep sense of shame. "I wish there was a way, Sister Desdemona. I wish I could find a man for my child who would be there for her."

The nun nodded in empathy, but her next words were lined with an accusation. "Maybe she has found herself a man."

"WHAT?"

She stepped back, looking around quickly before placing a finger on her lip. "Quiet, Signore! It is, but a secret that my old eyes caught!"

The anger in his heart was begging him to march over to his house and get the truth straight from the source. Was Balbina lying to him like his wife once did? Was she playing the same sick game that her mother once played?

"A week or so ago, I was heading to shut the gate for the Great Silence. I saw little ' _Bina_ wrapped in the most expensive cloak if I was to ever see one. A man accompanied her - definitely a noble from his manner of gait. He drops her home and she returns his cloak and he is gone."

Nails digging in his coarse palm, Signore Moretti ground out the next words with extreme restraint. "Who was the _figlio di putanna_?"

She looked disappointed with herself. " _Si,_ that's the issue. It was much too dark to see his face. I only knew it was _'Bina_ because he dropped her at your house. Forgive me, Signore Moretti."

His daughter had committed the gravest of sins. She had been intimate with a man before marriage and had lied to her father. For the first time, Signore Moretti wished he had not sired a child with that filthy woman. And that too a girl that was just as deceitful as the mother.

Looking at the nuns that rushed outside for the morning chores, she decided to play her cards right. "Signore Moretti, being harsh with your daughter or hitting her will only hang your dirty laundry for the town to see. You need to consider the future - she may be with child and you must cover this up."

Signore Moretti looked faint as he leaned against the wall. "My little Balbina - no, no! She would never!"

Sister Desdemonna glared viciously. "Oh, but she has, Signore! No girl gets dropped off in the middle of the night by a man and can be expected to be pure! She is as unholy as your wife that lies in the graveyard!"

"S-stop! Please!" He wheezed, tears pouring down his face. The few onlookers passed them odd glances, but a sympathetic smile from the nun had them minding their own business.

The nun touched his shoulder - an act that was an overstep of her boundaries. "I have asked you since ' _Bina_ came of age that you should admit her to the cloister. We need someone capable as her who can read and write. I will accept her in any condition - with a child or without, virgin or used. You should be wise about this, Signore Moretti."

And with that, she was gone leaving behind a haunted gust of wind that threatened to ruin everything he had built for himself. He would not let his daughter ruin him as his wife had. He would not allow his hard-earned reputation to be washed away again. He would save his face and his respect even if it meant to cast away his most beloved possession . . .


	12. Unjust

_1475, Florence_

Annetta poked her nose into the small window of the Moretti household that overlooked the kitchen. It was a quiet afternoon in the middle district of Florence and she had been sent on a reconnaissance mission by Maria Auditore. It had been two weeks since Signore Federico was last seen at the dinner table. He would rise early for his duty at the bank and return late after the last candle had been blown out. It was safe to say that Maria had had enough of her son's period of depression and had sent Annetta to gather information.

But gathering information could only be so easy if Balbina's scary _padre_ wasn't chucking papers upon papers into a bag. He was muttering something about whores and nuns and betrayals. Balbina, herself was nowhere to be seen. She leaned in closer hoping to expand her horizons and capture the sight of the girl, but only ended up knocking over a pitcher of water.

" _Al ladro_!" The patriarch of the house cried sending a vase in her direction. She dodged it quickly and only tripped on her skirt once before dashing out of the street. Blood rushed in her head as she ran past the abbey where young nuns were dragging heavy sacks into the old church. She only stopped for a moment to catch her breath, but it was enough to make her eyes enlargen with surprise.

Balbina Moretti followed the nuns with a heavy ledger in her hand and a quill, poised to write. Her clothes were unnaturally plain - a white long dress that showed no skin and a wooden cross that hung around her neck. Unlike the other nuns, she wore no head covering or veil, but when ushered inside by a nun in authority, Annetta wondered how a girl outside the cloister could enter the nun's private quarters. Unless . . .

" _Vieni qui_!" A voice not too far from her roared. Fear returning to her again, Annetta cast one last look at the forlorn expression on the girl's face before she too disappeared between the alleys leading to the rich district.

* * *

He did not care at this point. A glance or just even a walk outside her house would have done enough to save him from losing his mind. Federico shivered in the evening breeze and wondered why he was wandering the sleepy middle district of Florence instead of being curled up in front of a fire in his room. Perhaps because like Ezio said, he had become crazy. Balbina Moretti had driven him crazy and it had barely been a month since he had spoken to her on her roof.

He had become a pitying stock in his family. Every night, returning home from the bank he would find Petruccio's best feathers on his table. It was a kind gesture from his pure-hearted brother, but it only reminded him of what he was doing to himself and his family. No one deserved it - certainly not _Madre_ or Petruccio, yet he could no longer tolerate the sadly hidden glances that were being sent his way. Even the maids would sigh miserably and then whisper to themselves about his failed love story.

And Claudia - she had been completely unsympathetic. Ezio, on the other hand, found humor in his self-pitying condition and had offered to mediate on his behalf to Balbina. He wanted to laugh in his foolish brother's face and subsequently wanted to strangle him too. How unfortunate his brother was that love had come to him, but he had not felt it . . .

An arm suddenly wrapped around his shoulders, but the familiarity of it and the smell of strawberries that emanated from it relaxed him instantly. Strange as it was, his brother had an unhealthy obsession with strawberries. He often cited his reasons that it made him look attractive to the opposite gender. Federico never understood it.

"Ezio." Federico murmured out of respect for the sleeping residents.

His brother, however, was insensitive to such norms. "Lookie here, who we have! It is my dear brother, Federico!"

"Quiet, _idiota_!" A glance around the street indicated to him that no one had come to investigate. "People here do not take well to strangers especially at these hours!"

Ezio grinned, his hand pulling the cloak off him and draping it on himself instead. Federico glared at the action but decided he was no longer in the mood for quarrels. "We're hardly strangers, ' _Rico_. You are the rich son-in-law of the Moretti _famiglia_ and I am the handsome brother of-!"

"Get lost, Ezio." He shoved him hard and was turning to walk back into the rich district when Ezio's grave voice stopped him.

"Sometimes I find it hard to believe that you are an Auditore."

" _Cazzo hai detto_?" He hissed turning around and approaching him with a fist formed by his side. Anger and frustration were waiting to be unleashed and he hoped his brother would back down and walk away. Or else his _Madre_ would have another Auditore nose to fret over.

"You heard me, _fratellone_." The word was almost spat distastefully. "Auditores _never_ give up. _Padre_ never gave up on his dream to become a banker in Florence even if it meant to break family tradition. _Madre_ never gave up on her dream to become a writer. Petruccio is a fighter - constantly battling a disease that is much stronger than him. Even a _ragazza stupida_ like Claudia doesn't know that maybe she should give up on a _stronzo_ like Duccio. Yet the oldest, most perfect Auditore gave up so easily on love."

Federico stared at his brother with surprise before chuckling drily. "You can't give up on something that was never yours, Ezio. You'll learn one day when not everything swings in your favor."

" _Fottiti_!" He yelled back. "You never knew for sure if she loved you or not! You never dared to find out, Federico. Do you know why? Because you are a _codardo._ And guess what, you will never find out now."

The foreshadowing in his tone had him whispering why. Not that he was going to do anything about it - Balbina Moretti did not love him. Instead, she was in love with his _idiota_ brother who did not deserve a fraction of it. But it was the fear of the unknown that came with it. Fear about her wellbeing.

Ezio glared darkly at him in a manner Federico had not seen before. For Ezio, Federico had both been the best friend and brother. He had looked up to no one more than him - not even _Padre_ had played that influence in his life. His brother had given him the courage to talk to Cristina - no, he had been _inspired_ by his brother's confidence to speak to Cristina. Yet, had he known his brother would turn out to be such a loser he would have probably spent more time paving his way.

"Why does it matter, Federico?" The response frustrated him immensely and he was hastily approaching him. "You probably won't do anything about it. You don't care, Federico so why-!"

"I do care! _La amo_!" He screamed passionately, shoving his brother hard against the wall. "Tell me right now, Ezio or I will punch it out of you."

Humour returned in his brother's eyes at the outburst. Now, this was the Federico he knew. But despite that, he knew that the news he was about to deliver was grave. He had heard _Madre and_ Annetta speaking in hushed voices and had immediately gone out to search for his _stupido fratellone_.

"Bal- _beena_ joined the cloister in the abbey near her c _asa_. In a week, she will be joining _Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore_ as a novitiate. Annetta saw her dressed as a nun and reported it to _Madre. Madre_ said that next week all the new nuns and monks will be initiated into the church - whatever that means. After that . . ." He paused and sighed uncomfortably. More than seeing Federico happy, he also wasn't ashamed to admit that he particularly enjoyed Bal- _beena_ Moretti's antics. She was a natural at making him laugh, but also genuine enough to bring Federico to his knees. Finally, upon seeing Federico's eyes grow darker with dread, he said the last thing he had heard. "After that, you will not be able to see her again, Federico. In fact . . . no one will."

The silence that once surrounded him with tranquility now picked around him hauntingly. He felt his breath a burden upon his chest - his shoulders no longer able to hold him upright. Suddenly everything felt like it was crashing before him. Suddenly everything had gone wrong even when he had tried his utmost to make things right. He had stepped back so she could get a chance to pursue the one she loved. He had given up so she could win. But he had never expected that both of them would be losers in this trial of love.

"Federico!" His brother was before him, his fingers digging into his shoulders. "All is not lost! You have a week to turn this around."

He wasn't so sure anymore. He wasn't sure about anything anymore. Until Ezio revealed something that set his course straight. "Annetta said her father was furious. She suspects it was he who sent her off."

Just like that, he knew what he had to. Something he longed to do but had held himself back from doing. Something which may make Balbina hate him forever.

* * *

Balbina cried into her tiny fists when Sister Desdemona flogged her with a leather whip. She had been here a few days and this was the second time she had done something undesirable.

Her journal - her only confidante and the sole thing that gave her a reason to smile had been ripped away from her. Sister Desdemona had burned the book even though it had not been used by her. Her old journals remained hidden at home under a broken wooden tile. And while she should have rejoiced at this, she had not expected the punishment to be so severe.

"Next time, girl, you will only write when we need you to! And you will only ever read when we need you to! The time for indecency and immorality is over!" And with that, she walked away leaving Balbina scarred both physically and mentally. And while a kind nun rushed to dress her wounds, her mind took her back to her father.

 _Padre_ had come home a week ago, unusually quiet and solemn. Dinner was a brief affair in their household and he had spoken and ate very little. Finally, she found the courage to prod him about it.

 _"P-Padre . . . A-are y-y-y-you okay?" She normally stammered the least around her father, but simmering anger that she felt growing underneath the surface had made her weary._

 _He had nodded, a grave look in his eye the only indication that he was lying. She had not asked him again for she knew her father hated being fussed about._

 _To her surprise, he had joined her in her room as she was sketching a picture of Petruccio. The boy had certainly left an impact on him and she wanted to capture his memory before it became lost._

 _"Balbina." He announced, not walking in like he usually would. There was a distinct distance between them that had not been there before and she did not know how to cover it._

 _"P-padre. D-d-did you n-need some-thing?" She had carefully slid the parchment with the drawing under another roll of parchment. Not that it mattered - her father wasn't even looking at her._

 _"I have been thinking a lot about your future, Balbina. You are fifteen years of age and next month, you will be sixteen. No man has asked me for your hand and I have seen many girls from the neighborhood engaged and even married off. It worries me."_

 _She gulped in fear. This was the discussion she had been dreading for since as far back as she could remember. Her father had never cared much about marriage after his own had gone down the drain so she had thought he would never care much about hers._

 _He sighed at the expression on her face. "Is there someone in your life? If so, tell me and I will talk to them for you even if it is a bit strange for a father of a girl proposing the marriage, no?"_

 _She shook her head wildly, sending her straight brown hair in disarray. "T-t-there is n-n-no one!"_

 _Her father smiled pleasantly. "Good." And then he turned grave again. "Your Madre betrayed me, Balbina. They say she is unholy and burning in hell."_

 _Tears erupted in her eyes at his words. She had heard this from many girls in her neighborhood as a child. They would laugh at her and tell her that her mother was screaming in hell. That she would never be forgiven. It had made her distant and since then she enjoyed her solitude in staring at a certain someone._

 _"I want to forgive her, Balbina. And I want God to forgive her too. I met a kind Sister a few days ago. She said that your madre can find her salvation through you, Balbina. That if you were to lead a life as holy and noble, then God will have mercy on your Madre's soul." She stared with huge eyes at what he was implying._

 _"I want you to join the cloister of nuns. It is a noble duty and the only way people like us will ever earn respect." She found herself unconsciously disagreeing with his words. The dinner at the Auditores and the respect Signora Auditore had given her had touched her immensely. The lady had been kind to her without being condescending. Everyone had been kind to her and she couldn't help, but feel lonely that she would never see the Auditores again._

 _"P-P-Padre, must I - I r-really d-do t-this?" Her father's eyes enlarged at her boldness. "I-I-I-I c-can g-give ch-ch-charity and-and p-p-pray f-f-f-for h-her salvation."_

 _He looked at her with flashing brown eyes. They only reminded her that despite some similarities, she and her father looked nothing alike. "It is important you go, Balbina. I know I ask too much, but do you not want your mother to be in peace? She may have hated me_ intensamente _yet I know she loved you with all her heart. I was selfish and kept her away from you, but know she really loved you, 'Bina. Per favore, think about this."_

 _And with that, he was gone. And so was the last straw holding her from refusing. She did not want her mother to rot in hell. What was the point of refusing anyway? Ezio would never look at her and she had been worried sick about the look in Signore Auditore's eyes when she caught Federico and her in a compromising position. Joining the cloister would make her forget everything. And make her father proud. And put her mother at peace._


	13. The Abbey

_1475, Florence_

Federico and Ezio had always been at the scene of a crime. Together they had done many missions that included breaking into homes - especially of pretty _ragazza_ 's but never had he imagined that they would be breaking into an abbey full of pious _sisters._ Despite the thick monk's robes, he was clothed in, Ezio shivered with excitement when goosebumps erupted all over his body.

He whistled, a nervous habit of his until Federico, also clothed in a monk's robes and Annetta dressed as a young apprentice nun turned around to shush him. Ezio only laughed in their frightened faces.

"Signore Ezio! You cannot be a laughing monk!" Annetta reprimanded, fiddling with the white veil on her head and failing miserably to tuck in all her tendrils. "Monks are supposed to be composed. My sister Paola says-!"

" _Si, si, si, caro_ Annetta. You have already told me what your sister Paula says about monks ten times." He replied, yawning loudly and leaning against the deteriorating wall of the abbey. Strange, he thought as the cement fell around him merely by a gentle touch. Conditions in the rest of the city were rather subpar. He knew his _Madre_ would have a heart attack if there was a wall as weak as this in their palazzo. But it wasn't just the weak wall that caught his surprise, but also the unusual look of determination in Federico's hazel orbs.

Throughout the night and early morning, he and Federico had made preparations for breaking into the abbey and rescuing Bal _-beena_ Moretti. They had teamed up with a reluctant Annetta and had made her get robes from her sister Paula. Federico had spoken very little and had been in no mood for jokes or any room for error. But Ezio wasn't going to follow rules - he was here to rescue his brother's _innamorato_ and have his fair share of fun.

"You owe me one for this, _fratellone_. If Vieri de Pazzi sees us dressed as Savonarola then the Auditores will have a hundred years of shame." He remarked, casting a glance at the street where the very early risers were already beginning to emerge.

Federico turned half-way, looking vexed. " _Dio Santo,_ Ezio! Must you mention that ignoramus, half-breed at this time?"

He shrugged, a gleam of hate shining in his eyes for the man who had tried to hurt his younger sibling - even if it had been many years since the incident. "Fine. But I ransacked his date the other night. And yesterday evening, I released fireworks into his open-air birthday party."

His older brother said nothing to his remarks, but Ezio caught a satisfied smirk on his face just as he pulled the hood to partly conceal his face. Ezio did the same just as the door of the abbey flung open and out walked a rather huge woman.

She stared at the three with a raised eyebrow before her jaw fell open in disbelief. "How scandalous! You stupid girl! Have you no shame to return to your life of sin when you came to a life of purity! How dare you be in the presence of two monks all alone!"

Annetta stepped back, immediately overwhelmed at the negative reception she was receiving and then hurriedly waved her hands to defuse the situation. "Peace, abbess! These two monks are my brothers and we have arrived from M-M-Monterrig- no-no T-T-Tuscany this morning to - to j-join the abbey!" Ezio heard Federico sigh in disappointment at her slight slip of the tongue. He, however, couldn't help, but unsuccessfully stifle a grin.

The abbess leaned in suspiciously. "You say you are from Tuscany, yet you sound like a brothel girl from the peasant's neighborhood of Florence!"

This time, Ezio could not help but snort. The abbess approached him then, her crosier dragging on the broken tiles ominously. She lifted his face slightly with her gloved hand and then reeled back, disgusted. "You stupid boy! You dare to come to the Holy Abbey of Madonna with that unkempt, unshaved face of yours! How dare you!" She shrilled sending a flock of pigeons and two other sisters flying out of the abbey.

"Reverend Mother!" One of the sisters exclaimed, shocked at what they were hearing just after the Great Silence had ended. Upon seeing the two monks, she hurriedly pulled the veil over her face. "Wh-what is going on?"

The abbess swung around, her crosier swinging behind her and almost catching Federico in the groin. Ezio was at the end of his composure so he coughed miserably to hide his bubbling laughter. Not that he needed to - he could have laughed quietly and no one would have heard it because of the abbess' loud screaming.

"Three terrible excuses of monks and a nun are here to join _my_ abbey. Look at them! I have a scandalous sister who has traveled all the way from Tuscany alone with two monks! Can you imagine the things people will be saying about us nuns? And then these ridiculous boys who are aspiring to be monks yet look more like homeless travelers with rags as robes!"

The sister nodded helplessly before ushering the three in. Reverend Mother hissed a warning. "These three _stupidos_ need to be ready for the inauguration of the novitiates by next week! If they are not, I am going to send all of you to the chamber!"

"Y-Y-Yes Reverend Mother!" The sister squeaked before shoving the three of them inside a hall. Ezio turned one last time before the door of the abbey slammed shut. They were left in darkness, and he wasn't sure anymore that he would be enjoying this anymore.

* * *

Maria Auditore walked back and forth restlessly. Something was off - her heart was trembling with fear as if something was about to go terribly wrong. She had checked on Petruccio ten times and Claudia five times. But her two other offsprings had disappeared. They had been gone since morning and her trusted, righthand woman was also missing. It was not like Ezio to not return home before midday even if he spent the early morning elsewhere. Her eldest, Federico had not turned up at the bank today and Annetta had dumped her chores on another maid and had disappeared.

She had sent a maid out to look for her husband, but naturally, the maid had returned unsuccessful. Maria knew then her husband was away on one of those _missions_ and for the first time she wanted to scream in frustration. It was simply too much for her - she could no longer handle it anymore.

" _Madre_ ," Claudia whispered - something that was rare. The truth was she had felt the tension in the house just as much as her mother and brothers and she could not help, but feel that she had blame to share. Maybe she had been unfair to Federico. He had never judged her for falling in love with Duccio and had actively stopped Ezio from mocking her. But she had done the opposite - she had belittled Belina, no - Balbina Moretti for being a poor, gold-digging schemer without any proof. No wonder Federico had stopped talking to her and everyone else.

Her mother gave her a sharp glance before looking at the bustling street outside. "Not now, Claudia, _per favore_."

It seemed, however, that Claudia was not in a mood for a complaint or quarrel. She touched her mother's tense shoulder fondly and then whispered her thoughts. "I am sorry, _Madre_. Truly. None of this would have happened if I had not - if I had not treated Balbina Moretti so harshly. Had I known Federico _loved_ her the same way I love Duccio, I would never-!"

"Claudia, _per favore_!" Her mother cried, pulling away and then tugging at her curls with guilt. "Forgive me, _dolcezza._ I - I am much too worried right now to talk about Signorina Moretti. That poor _piccina_ has probably gotten into enough trouble because of us as it is."

"Trouble?" The girl asked, looking at her mother in distress. "What-what trouble? Is Federico okay?"

Her mother did not look convinced as she nodded. Claudia grabbed her mother by the arm and probed further. " _Madre_! Is Federico really okay? And-and where is Ezio?"

Maria Auditore did not say another word. She didn't have to - the look in her tired eyes said it all. She was tired of doing everything on her own. She was tired of worrying about everything on her own. She needed her husband to be here, she needed his support more than ever. And Claudia understood all of that as she wrapped her arms tightly around her mother. Because she needed _Padre_ too.

* * *

Federico and Ezio had been separated from Annetta straight away. Two nuns had grabbed Annetta by the arms and had taken off with her without so much as an explanation. When they had demanded to know where they were taking their _sister_ another nun had arrived and demanded to take Ezio too. Federico did not allow them to do as they pleased this time.

"I demand to know where you are taking my _piccolo fratello_!"

The elder nun with some missing teeth grinned at him in a patronizing manner. "Do not worry, monk! Your _fratellino_ will not be harmed! We are only going to teach him some discipline." And with that, she tugged at his arm with an urgency.

Ezio wasn't as worried as his older brother, somewhat glad to be escaping the room with little brightness. He leaned in to whisper. "Federico, why are you ruining my chance? I can seduce a pretty sister into exchanging Balbina for _something._ If you know what I mean." He smirked confidently and then jumped as two faceless nuns grabbed his arms. "Gently, _tesoro_. I am not running away." He lifted his hood just enough to wink earning a gasp from the nun.

The doors slammed shut behind him and he cringed in slight fear. Dear Dio - he had once prayed for a palace with all the pretty girls around him, but God had given him a haunted abbey with veiled and too holy sisters. He only hoped he would get something out of this.

But as they led him further into the abbey, he found his heart quivering with a strange feeling. When was the last time he had felt fear? Probably when Petruccio had suffered through a return of his symptoms and they had all feared he would breathe his last. That had been two years ago, but since then he had only felt anxious, never scared.

The haunting images on the wall and the loud wailing did not set the mood for him. He was dropping confidence like Vieri de Pazzi dropped empty threats. And the smell of something musty was only creating an image of a murder scene for him. And finally the darkness - god, how he hated the dark. It was a strange fear - one that did not manifest itself on its own, but combined with an enclosed space it made things very harrowing for him.

"W-w-wa-wa-wait!" He stammered as they pulled a trapdoor open from under a thick rug. This could not be happening. They were not going to do this. He only had to charm them and everything would play in his favor.

When one of the sister moved behind him to push him in, he threw his hood back and smiled alluringly. The strongest of women had fallen prey to this smile - there was no way these so-called sisters wouldn't.

"Come on, sorella." He moved to touch the veil obscuring her face from him. She batted his hand away with a strange force. Women were supposed to be dainty and fragile yet this nun was not shy to show her strength. "W-Why are you doing this?"

The nun lifted her veil revealing a burnt scar that stretched from her chin to her eyebrow. She smiled at him horrifyingly revealing a set of sharp, stained teeth. And her voice echoed in his ears as she shoved him backward. "You _will_ atone for your sins!"

He screamed uncharacteristically as he fell into an empty hole. The nun was still smiling at him just before the trap door shut and he landed painfully on his back. But the physical feeling was dulling fast as the darkness closed in on him.

He could not breathe - he could not stop the thudding of his heart. Something brushed his hand, and he shot away instinctively. This could not be happening - this could not be happening!

"No! No!" Strangled gasps escaped him and Ezio felt something churning up his stomach towards his throat. He tasted bile at the back of his tongue and swallowed miserably while fighting the urge to scream again. How had he ended up in this situation? Throughout his entire life, he had avoided dark places like the plague and simultaneously had kept his fear of the unknown and the dark a secret. None of his siblings nor his _padre_ even had a vague idea about his crippling fear. Only his _madre_ had suspected something of his fear. The fear that would immobilize him and take him to a place he was too frightened to acknowledge. The place of his nightmares that kept him awake at night and had him finding company in the arms of different women. This place was _that_ place.

It was in those sleepless nights that a gift had come to him. Something his _padre_ knew about, something his _madre_ worried about and something he uniquely shared with his older brother. They both could see things that were not there or rather hidden from their view. The first instance it occurred had left him shaken. His brother had consoled him and had explained that he was not alone with this skill. In the next few weeks, his father and brother would train with him to better manage his gift.

Taking a deep breath only reminded him that he urgently needed to find an airway. The air was thick with something musty and he swore he smelt the metallic scent of blood. It was a smell he was very attuned with - from the fights with the Pazzi family and the small contracts he would accept from random strangers to beat up a cheating husband, boyfriend or lover. Still, it didn't help calm his nerves and he slid himself away from it with rapid urgency. Federico would find him - he was sure of it, but he wasn't sure how long he could stay in the dark waiting for something to jump at him. The depth of the darkness was caving in on him and the unknown that remained was threatening to warp his mind.

The ability came through like the moon on a dark night. Soon, he was able to distinguish the corners and the stairs. There was a broken chair in the corner of the room with a cross with nails driven in it. A statue of Christ lay broken in two pieces and two rats pulled at the pages of the Bible with their teeth. _Va bene, Va bene_ , he consoled himself. This was better than the worst he had expected. He was only beginning to rise to his feet when someone drew a sharp breath. With his ability activated, he snapped his eyes to the source and spotted the haunting figure that sat slumped against the wall with a pool of blood surrounding it.

A scream tore through his lungs unconsciously and Ezio scrambled back on all fours. He could not - he could not do this! Racing to the stairs, he pounded overhead at the trapdoor with something akin to desperation. "Federico, you _bastardo_! Get me out of here!"

The only response he heard to his pleading was a cackle of laughter and someone stomping directly over him. Then all was quiet again and he was left in the dark with a dying person who would soon become his living nightmare. Claudia always said that once someone passed - they had to be buried quickly or their ghost would forever torment the inhabitants of the city. He and Federico would laugh at her superstitions and tell her that ghosts were only present in theater shows. Yet somehow each time the figure inhaled, he believed her words more and more.

"Dio, Dio, Dio." He muttered, keeping himself glued to the end of the stairs while with his ability activated he watched the person shift in pain. Guilt was competing with his fear - he was standing here idle and watching a person bleed to death because he was too much of a c _odardo_ to face his own fears. His _madre_ and _padre_ would probably be disappointed and Claudia and Federico would never let him live with this shame. Even someone kind like his brother Petruccio would not accept something like this.

The figure groaned again and it was then he noticed the loose tendrils that slipped out from the white veil. Muddy brown hair, straight and slightly wavy on the ends. The mysterious figure did not seem so frightening anymore for he was coming back down the stairs. " _Le chiedo perdono,_ " He whispered uncertainly, mindful to avoid stepping on the vermillion rivulets of blood that had traveled away from the source due to the unevenness of the ground. "Are . . . you-you okay?"

The girl whimpered in pain and lifted her head just an inch that had him stepping back in shock again. He only needed to look once to have known it all. A new fear erupted within him as suddenly as water shooting out from a geyser. " _Porca troia,_ Bal- _beena_!" He cried racing to her side. He had found a means to eradicate the fear he had felt for himself but was he to do for her?

She barely responded to him even when he was touching her bloodied face. Her hands were raw with lashes and he suspected her back and legs had suffered the same fate. In seconds her blood had seeped into his monk robes and he grew more frightened. Ezio had never been so frightened before and it confused him that for the first time he was worried for an outsider more than anyone else.

Racing towards the trapdoor, he pounded with a burning ferocity. _Fanculo questa merda_ , these goddamn nuns deserved to be executed, he thought darkly. Who knew that monsters hid behind veils and innocent faces?

"FEDERICO!" His throat had turned sore from screaming, but he would scream till the end. He would scream till someone came. He had made an internal, personal vow to himself - a vow to protect her from all harm. She had protected his brother when he couldn't. He would protect her too. He would _not_ let Bal- _beena_ Moretti die like this.

And after two minutes of pounding and no luck, something finally happened. A person struggled with the trapdoor as if they were trying to pry it open. Then he heard someone fiddle with the lock and finally, someone rapped their knuckles on it hesitantly. "E-Ezio?"

"FEDERICO!" Hope rejuvenated him and suddenly the darkness wasn't frightening him anymore. The lack of air wasn't suffocating him anymore, but the growing stench of blood was still grounding him to reality. Bal- _beena_ Moretti was still bleeding behind him. "Federico, _grazie al cielo_! Open this goddamn door!"

"I am trying, _stupido_!" His older brother hissed from the other side. Then with a slight apprehension underlying his voice, he whispered. "You are not hurt, are you?"

Ezio cringed at his words. He had given his brother one too many shocks in the last few hours - he wasn't sure how he was going to tell him this. " _Va bene_ , Federico. But please open this door! Bal- _beena_ Moretti is here and she is hurt!"

Silence greeted him from the other side and Ezio bit his tongue in a slight panic. His brother was probably surrounded by those _bastarda_ nuns and he had just made his situation worse. Yet Ezio did not regret telling him - the only thing that reminded him Bal- _beena_ was still alive was the occasional movement and groan that she elicited. Suddenly the lock was being rattled roughly. The trapdoor was pulled at again and again for a few seconds till he heard heaving on the other side.

And then wooden splinters hit Ezio's cheeks as a fist broke through the wood of the trapdoor. A hole the size of his brother's fist illuminated the steps and soon Federico came into view. "I can't open it, Ezio." He then gestured his brother to step back.

Ezio obliged quickly ignoring the tears that shimmered in his brother's eyes. His brother pulled a bloodied fist back again and this time the wood snapped off easily. "This will work, Federico! Let me help!" He offered, pounding a fist into the trapdoor from his end. When the hole grew large enough that he could see his brother from head to torso, Federico used his feet to break the remaining chunks of wood that remained of the trapdoor. Soon he had climbed in and was rushing past him to the source of his concern.

"Balbina!"

"ENOUGH!" The familiar chalky voice warned from above them. The abbess appeared with her crosier and a handful of nuns that surrounded the trapdoor. Ezio was too furious at this point to be scared of them.

" _Vaffanculo a chi t'è morto_!" Ezio cursed, using his hands to lift his body out of the trapdoor. "You will pay for this!"

"Pay for what, Auditore?" He could almost imagine her grinning sardonically. "I knew from the second I saw you that you were Auditores! Your _madre_ was a regular donator to this abbey and many times I visited her in your palazzo! I never forget a face - especially not of filthy sinful young boys!"

Ezio wasn't sure where this was going. "So why let us in? Why risk it all knowing we'll be telling _Madre_ about how you treat your nuns?"

The abbess cackled happily. "We had to catch the one the whore was fornicating with!" She slammed her crosier on the ground and pointed a finger past him. "Signore Moretti was sure that the one his daughter was _fucking_ around with was bound to follow her here! Your brother did not disappoint!"

The second oldest Auditore stepped back as if her words had slapped him. Were they deluded enough to think someone as mousy as Bal- _beena_ Moretti was sleeping with his brother? Sure, Federico carried the worst repute with him when it came to matters of love and loyalty, but surely Bal- _beena_ 's father knew his daughter enough to never cast such an accusation upon her. Or did he?

"A misunderstanding." He sighed deciding to calm this situation down rather than aggravate it. He was outnumbered anyway and his _madre_ had instilled too good of values in him to go around punching women. "My brother and Signorina Moretti have no such relationship!"

"LIES!" She growled, swinging her crosier towards his face. He ducked and rolled away dexterously. "If you think you will walk away with your sins from this abbey, then you are a dead wrong boy! ONCE SOMEONE ENTERS THIS PLACE, THEY DO NOT LEAVE TILL THEY ARE CLEANSED!"

And with her words, nuns began to advance towards him again. They edged him towards the hole that remained in the ground courtesy of his brother and he gulped this time in trepidation. "You are making a big mistake. Once my _madre_ finds out, you all are getting executed!"

"That's the point, dear boy. Your _madre_ will _never_ find out. Do you know why? Because a person is only ever truly cleansed when they bleed to death . . . as Christ did." Shiny knives were pulled out from under their belt and they advanced upon him this time with finality. "Say your prayers!"

But before the knife could cut into his flesh, the door of the abbey was slamming open and a hooded figure stood to cast a long shadow from the sun. He didn't need to say or do anything for a dozen of Firenze guards were rushing towards them with their swords drawn.

"BLASPHEMOUS!" The abbess cried as a guard wrapped a rope around their hands. "HOW DARE YOU ENTER MY ABBEY AND TOUCH MY NUNS! MAY CHRIST NEVER ALLOW YOU TO ENTER INTO PARADISE!"

" _Silenzio_!" The guard growled ushering the nuns towards the exit as they struggled madly in their captives' holds. The abbess let out a final scream threatening that God will bring Firenze down if they left the abbey before she was gone. It was over so quickly that Ezio barely had time to realize he was going to be okay. He was going to leave this place and see his mother again. He was going to see his home and his family again. And Federico.

" _Ehi_ , Federico!" He yelled into the hole. "We are safe now! Dio Mio, we are safe!" He laughed, turning to look at the hooded figure in gratitude but only space remained there. The door of the abbey was still open and the fresh wind that hit his nostrils had him sighing in such relief. But who had helped them?

"Signore Ezio!" A mildly injured Annetta rushed towards him before she looked behind him and gasped. "Signore Federico! Signorina Moretti?!"

* * *

Giovanni Auditore watched from a vantage point as two Firenze guards gently escorted them from the abbey. His sons were not injured, _grazie a Dio_ , but Annetta donned a cut on her cheek and walked with a slight limp. The critical one was the girl that Federico cradled in his arms and from the look of concern on his face, he knew the whole ordeal somehow tied back to this girl.

He had arrived early in the afternoon to overhear the conversation between his wife and daughter. Shame and guilt had coursed through his veins when he had seen the frustration on his wife's face. Her concerns for their two eldest offsprings had him rushing over to investigate. And thank God, he was not too late.

A _dottore_ rushed towards them following a frantic guard. Upon seeing the pale, immobile girl in the young boy's arms he cried madly. "Take her to _Ospedale di Santa Maria Nuova_! Quickly or she will pass!"

And as Giovanni watched his sons go, he passed a prayer for the girl and for his son who had fallen wretchedly in love with her.

* * *

 **Terminology**

 ** _Fanculo questa merda - Fuck this_ _shit_**

 ** _Vaffanculo a chi t'è morto - Fuck your dead family members_**

 ** _Le chiedo perdono - Excuse me (very polite)_**

 ** _Ehi - Hey_**

 ** _Porca troia - Holy shit_**

 ** _dolcezza - sweetie_**

 ** _caro - dear_**

 ** _tesoro - sweetheart_**

 ** _sorella - sister_**

 ** _piccolo fratello - younger brother (formal)_**

 ** _fratellino - younger brother (informal)_**

 ** _Dio - God_**

 ** _Grazie al cielo - Thank heavens_**

 ** _piccina - little one_**

 ** _bastardo - bastard (male)_**

 ** _bastarda - bastard (female)_**

 **Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope I didn't make Ezio too OOC. This is pre-AC2 and Ezio is 16. Federico is 18 and Balbina is 15. The ability Ezio uses is his Eagle vision. I am not sure if Federico had this ability, but I am sure Giovanni did have it as was shown (?) in AC Lineage. Let me know if I am talking nonsense. :~)**


End file.
